WASP-26 b
WASP-26 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting WASP-26 in the constellation Cetus. It lies about 824 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2010 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-26 b?
WASP-26 b has a radius of 13.56 times that of Earth, or 1.21 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 270 times that of Earth.
Is WASP-26 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of WASP-26 b relative to the habitable zone of WASP-26 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of WASP-26: 0.983–2.302 AU (conservative: 1.245–2.182 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-26 b — one full orbit around WASP-26 — lasts 2.76 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was WASP-26 b Discovered?
WASP-26 b was discovered in 2010 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-26 b?
WASP-26 b is 824.4 light-years (252.8 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1202. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 14,509,440 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-26 b scores 0.07, ranking #5,004 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-26
WASP-26 b belongs to a system of 2 stars; it orbits WASP-26.
WASP-26
- Surface temperature
- 6,034 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.86 M☉
- Radius
- 1.22 R☉
Planetary System
WASP-26 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-26 so far.
WASP-26 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 13.563 Earth radii (1.210 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 270.16 Earth masses (0.850 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 2.76 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 824.4 light-years (252.8 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | SuperWASP |
| Discovery year | 2010 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-04-25. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-26 b
Is WASP-26 b habitable?
WASP-26 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of WASP-26, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is WASP-26 b?
WASP-26 b is about 824 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cetus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 14,509,440 years to get there.
How big is WASP-26 b compared to Earth?
WASP-26 b has 13.56 times the radius of Earth and about 270 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-26 b?
One orbit around WASP-26 takes 2.8 Earth days — short enough that 133 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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