WASP-41 b
WASP-41 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting WASP-41 in the constellation Centaurus. It lies about 533 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2011 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-41 b?
WASP-41 b has a radius of 12.33 times that of Earth, or 1.10 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 270 times that of Earth.
Is WASP-41 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of WASP-41 b relative to the habitable zone of WASP-41 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of WASP-41: 0.582–1.379 AU (conservative: 0.737–1.308 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-41 b — one full orbit around WASP-41 — lasts 3.05 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was WASP-41 b Discovered?
WASP-41 b was discovered in 2011 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-41 b?
WASP-41 b is 532.8 light-years (163.4 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1494. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 9,377,280 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-41 b scores 0.07, ranking #4,799 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-41
WASP-41
- Surface temperature
- 5,545 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.81 M☉
- Radius
- 0.83 R☉
The WASP-41 Planetary System
WASP-41 b is one of 2 known planets in the WASP-41 system. Its siblings:
- WASP-41 c (Cold Gas Giant)
WASP-41 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 12.330 Earth radii (1.100 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 270.16 Earth masses (0.850 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 3.05 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 532.8 light-years (163.4 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | SuperWASP |
| Discovery year | 2011 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-04-25. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-41 b
Is WASP-41 b habitable?
WASP-41 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of WASP-41, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is WASP-41 b?
WASP-41 b is about 533 light-years from Earth in the constellation Centaurus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 9,377,280 years to get there.
How big is WASP-41 b compared to Earth?
WASP-41 b has 12.33 times the radius of Earth and about 270 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-41 b?
One orbit around WASP-41 takes 3.1 Earth days — short enough that 120 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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