WASP-3 b
WASP-3 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting WASP-3 in the constellation Lyra. It lies about 754 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2007 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-3 b?
WASP-3 b has a radius of 15.92 times that of Earth, or 1.42 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 772 times that of Earth.
Is WASP-3 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of WASP-3 b relative to the habitable zone of WASP-3 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of WASP-3: 1.277–2.968 AU (conservative: 1.617–2.814 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-3 b — one full orbit around WASP-3 — lasts just 44.3 hours, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was WASP-3 b Discovered?
WASP-3 b was discovered in 2007 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-3 b?
WASP-3 b is 753.9 light-years (231.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1273. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 13,268,640 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-3 b scores 0.06, ranking #5,195 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-3
WASP-3 b belongs to a system of 3 stars; it orbits WASP-3.
WASP-3
- Surface temperature
- 6,400 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.62 M☉
- Radius
- 1.44 R☉
Planetary System
WASP-3 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-3 so far.
WASP-3 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 15.917 Earth radii (1.420 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 772.33 Earth masses (2.430 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 1.85 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.06 |
| Distance from Earth | 753.9 light-years (231.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Lyra |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | SuperWASP |
| Discovery year | 2007 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2019-04-01. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-3 b
Is WASP-3 b habitable?
WASP-3 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of WASP-3, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is WASP-3 b?
WASP-3 b is about 754 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 13,268,640 years to get there.
How big is WASP-3 b compared to Earth?
WASP-3 b has 15.92 times the radius of Earth and about 772 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-3 b?
One orbit around WASP-3 takes 1.8 Earth days — short enough that 198 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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