WASP-63 b
WASP-63 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting WASP-63 in the constellation Columba. It lies about 948 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2012 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-63 b?
WASP-63 b has a radius of 15.80 times that of Earth, or 1.41 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 118 times that of Earth.
Is WASP-63 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of WASP-63 b relative to the habitable zone of WASP-63 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of WASP-63: 1.305–3.095 AU (conservative: 1.653–2.935 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-63 b — one full orbit around WASP-63 — lasts 4.38 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was WASP-63 b Discovered?
WASP-63 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-63 b?
WASP-63 b is 948.1 light-years (290.7 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1078. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 16,686,560 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-63 b scores 0.06, ranking #5,166 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-63
WASP-63
- Surface temperature
- 5,550 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.28 M☉
- Radius
- 1.86 R☉
Planetary System
WASP-63 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-63 so far.
WASP-63 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 15.805 Earth radii (1.410 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 117.60 Earth masses (0.370 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 4.38 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.06 |
| Distance from Earth | 948.1 light-years (290.7 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Columba |
| 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-63 b
Is WASP-63 b habitable?
WASP-63 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of WASP-63, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is WASP-63 b?
WASP-63 b is about 948 light-years from Earth in the constellation Columba. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 16,686,560 years to get there.
How big is WASP-63 b compared to Earth?
WASP-63 b has 15.80 times the radius of Earth and about 118 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-63 b?
One orbit around WASP-63 takes 4.4 Earth days — short enough that 83 of its years would fit into one Earth year.