WASP-164 b
WASP-164 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the G2 V star WASP-164 in the constellation Tucana. It lies about 1,068 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2018 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-164 b?
WASP-164 b has a radius of 12.64 times that of Earth, or 1.13 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 677 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 1.96 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is WASP-164 b in the Habitable Zone?
WASP-164 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of WASP-164. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of WASP-164: 0.705–1.660 AU (conservative: 0.893–1.574 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
See the full interactive habitable-zone view in the Exoplanet Explorer app ›
Temperature on WASP-164 b
The equilibrium temperature of WASP-164 b is about 1,610 K (1,337 °C) — hot enough to melt many metals. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on WASP-164 b — one full orbit around WASP-164 — lasts just 42.7 hours, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.028 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was WASP-164 b Discovered?
WASP-164 b was discovered in 2018 using the transit method, with observations from SuperWASP-South.
The transit method watches a star for the tiny, regular dip in brightness that occurs when a planet crosses in front of it. The depth and timing of these dips reveal the planet's size and orbital period.
How Far Away Is WASP-164 b?
WASP-164 b is 1,068.2 light-years (327.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,068 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 18,800,320 years to make the journey.
Earth Similarity Index
The Earth Similarity Index (ESI) scores how physically similar a planet is to Earth, from 0 to 1, based on radius, density, escape velocity and surface temperature. WASP-164 b scores 0.07, ranking #4,908 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-164
WASP-164
- Spectral type
- G2 V
- Surface temperature
- 5,806 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.95 M☉
- Radius
- 0.93 R☉
- Age
- 4.1 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
WASP-164 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-164 so far.
WASP-164 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 12.644 Earth radii (1.128 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 676.98 Earth masses (2.130 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 1.96 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 1.78 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.028 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,610 K (1,337 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,068.2 light-years (327.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Tucana |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | SuperWASP-South |
| Discovery year | 2018 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-11-02. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-164 b
Is WASP-164 b habitable?
No — WASP-164 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is WASP-164 b?
WASP-164 b is about 1,068 light-years from Earth in the constellation Tucana. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 18,800,320 years to get there.
How big is WASP-164 b compared to Earth?
WASP-164 b has 12.64 times the radius of Earth and about 677 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-164 b?
One orbit around WASP-164 takes 1.8 Earth days — short enough that 206 of its years would fit into one Earth year.