WASP-56 b
WASP-56 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting WASP-56 in the constellation Coma Berenices. It lies about 1,047 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2012 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-56 b?
WASP-56 b has a radius of 10.54 times that of Earth, or 0.94 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 143 times that of Earth.
Is WASP-56 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of WASP-56 b relative to the habitable zone of WASP-56 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of WASP-56: 0.684–1.619 AU (conservative: 0.866–1.535 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-56 b — one full orbit around WASP-56 — lasts 4.62 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was WASP-56 b Discovered?
WASP-56 b was discovered in 2012 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-56 b?
WASP-56 b is 1,047.2 light-years (321.1 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,047 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 18,430,720 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-56 b scores 0.09, ranking #4,567 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-56
WASP-56 b belongs to a system of 2 stars; it orbits WASP-56.
WASP-56
- Surface temperature
- 5,600 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 0.71 M☉
- Radius
- 0.96 R☉
Planetary System
WASP-56 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-56 so far.
WASP-56 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 10.536 Earth radii (0.940 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 143.02 Earth masses (0.450 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 4.62 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.09 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,047.2 light-years (321.1 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Coma Berenices |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | SuperWASP |
| Discovery year | 2012 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-04-25. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-56 b
Is WASP-56 b habitable?
WASP-56 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of WASP-56, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is WASP-56 b?
WASP-56 b is about 1,047 light-years from Earth in the constellation Coma Berenices. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 18,430,720 years to get there.
How big is WASP-56 b compared to Earth?
WASP-56 b has 10.54 times the radius of Earth and about 143 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-56 b?
One orbit around WASP-56 takes 4.6 Earth days — short enough that 79 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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