WASP-165 b
WASP-165 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the G6 star WASP-165 in the constellation Aquarius. It lies about 1,964 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2018 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-165 b?
WASP-165 b has a radius of 14.12 times that of Earth, or 1.26 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 209 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 0.44 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is WASP-165 b in the Habitable Zone?
WASP-165 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of WASP-165. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of WASP-165: 1.246–2.951 AU (conservative: 1.579–2.798 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-165 b
The equilibrium temperature of WASP-165 b is about 1,624 K (1,351 °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-165 b — one full orbit around WASP-165 — lasts 3.47 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.048 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was WASP-165 b Discovered?
WASP-165 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-165 b?
WASP-165 b is 1,964.2 light-years (602.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,964 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 34,569,920 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-165 b scores 0.06, ranking #5,062 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-165
WASP-165
- Spectral type
- G6
- Surface temperature
- 5,599 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.25 M☉
- Radius
- 1.75 R☉
- Age
- 4.8 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
WASP-165 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-165 so far.
WASP-165 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 14.123 Earth radii (1.260 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 209.13 Earth masses (0.658 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 0.44 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 3.47 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.048 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,624 K (1,351 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.06 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,964.2 light-years (602.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Aquarius |
| 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-165 b
Is WASP-165 b habitable?
No — WASP-165 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is WASP-165 b?
WASP-165 b is about 1,964 light-years from Earth in the constellation Aquarius. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 34,569,920 years to get there.
How big is WASP-165 b compared to Earth?
WASP-165 b has 14.12 times the radius of Earth and about 209 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-165 b?
One orbit around WASP-165 takes 3.5 Earth days — short enough that 105 of its years would fit into one Earth year.