WASP-187 b
WASP-187 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the F star WASP-187 in the constellation Pisces. It lies about 1,211 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2020 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-187 b?
WASP-187 b has a radius of 18.38 times that of Earth, or 1.64 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 254 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 0.22 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is WASP-187 b in the Habitable Zone?
WASP-187 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of WASP-187. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of WASP-187: 2.352–5.494 AU (conservative: 2.979–5.209 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-187 b — one full orbit around WASP-187 — lasts 5.15 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.065 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was WASP-187 b Discovered?
WASP-187 b was discovered in 2020 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-187 b?
WASP-187 b is 1,211.4 light-years (371.4 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,211 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 21,320,640 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-187 b scores 0.05, ranking #5,281 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-187
WASP-187
- Spectral type
- F
- Surface temperature
- 6,150 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.54 M☉
- Radius
- 2.83 R☉
- Age
- 2.6 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
WASP-187 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-187 so far.
WASP-187 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 18.383 Earth radii (1.640 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 254.26 Earth masses (0.800 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 0.22 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 5.15 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.065 AU |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.05 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,211.4 light-years (371.4 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Pisces |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | SuperWASP |
| Discovery year | 2020 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2020-12-10. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-187 b
Is WASP-187 b habitable?
No — WASP-187 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is WASP-187 b?
WASP-187 b is about 1,211 light-years from Earth in the constellation Pisces. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 21,320,640 years to get there.
How big is WASP-187 b compared to Earth?
WASP-187 b has 18.38 times the radius of Earth and about 254 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-187 b?
One orbit around WASP-187 takes 5.1 Earth days — short enough that 71 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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