WASP-17 b
WASP-17 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting WASP-17 in the constellation Scorpius. It lies about 1,324 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2009 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-17 b?
WASP-17 b has a radius of 20.96 times that of Earth, or 1.87 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 248 times that of Earth.
Is WASP-17 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of WASP-17 b relative to the habitable zone of WASP-17 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of WASP-17: 1.372–3.182 AU (conservative: 1.737–3.017 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 ›
Orbit and Year Length
A year on WASP-17 b — one full orbit around WASP-17 — lasts 3.74 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was WASP-17 b Discovered?
WASP-17 b was discovered in 2009 using the transit method, with observations from SuperWASP.
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-17 b?
WASP-17 b is 1,323.9 light-years (405.9 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,324 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 23,300,640 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-17 b scores 0.05, ranking #5,308 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-17
WASP-17
- Surface temperature
- 6,550 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 2.28 M☉
- Radius
- 1.49 R☉
Planetary System
WASP-17 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-17 so far.
WASP-17 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 20.961 Earth radii (1.870 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 247.91 Earth masses (0.780 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 3.74 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.05 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,323.9 light-years (405.9 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Scorpius |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | SuperWASP |
| Discovery year | 2009 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-04-25. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-17 b
Is WASP-17 b habitable?
WASP-17 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of WASP-17, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is WASP-17 b?
WASP-17 b is about 1,324 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 23,300,640 years to get there.
How big is WASP-17 b compared to Earth?
WASP-17 b has 20.96 times the radius of Earth and about 248 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-17 b?
One orbit around WASP-17 takes 3.7 Earth days — short enough that 98 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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