WASP-38 b
WASP-38 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting WASP-38 in the constellation Hercules. It lies about 444 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2010 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-38 b?
WASP-38 b has a radius of 13.79 times that of Earth, or 1.23 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 1,093 times that of Earth.
Is WASP-38 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of WASP-38 b relative to the habitable zone of WASP-38 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of WASP-38: 1.273–2.972 AU (conservative: 1.613–2.818 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-38 b — one full orbit around WASP-38 — lasts 6.87 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. Its orbit is nearly circular (eccentricity 0.030).
How Was WASP-38 b Discovered?
WASP-38 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-38 b?
WASP-38 b is 444.4 light-years (136.2 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1582. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 7,821,440 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-38 b scores 0.07, ranking #4,991 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-38
WASP-38
- Surface temperature
- 6,180 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.76 M☉
- Radius
- 1.52 R☉
Planetary System
WASP-38 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-38 so far.
WASP-38 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 13.787 Earth radii (1.230 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 1,093.34 Earth masses (3.440 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 6.87 days |
| Eccentricity | 0.030 |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 444.4 light-years (136.2 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Hercules |
| 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-38 b
Is WASP-38 b habitable?
WASP-38 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of WASP-38, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is WASP-38 b?
WASP-38 b is about 444 light-years from Earth in the constellation Hercules. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 7,821,440 years to get there.
How big is WASP-38 b compared to Earth?
WASP-38 b has 13.79 times the radius of Earth and about 1,093 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-38 b?
One orbit around WASP-38 takes 6.9 Earth days — short enough that 53 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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