WASP-96 b
WASP-96 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the G8 star WASP-96 in the constellation Phoenix. It lies about 1,150 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-96 b?
WASP-96 b has a radius of 13.45 times that of Earth, or 1.20 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 153 times that of Earth, giving it a density of 0.37 g/cm³ — closer to gas planets like Jupiter (1.33 g/cm³).
Is WASP-96 b in the Habitable Zone?
WASP-96 b orbits inside the inner edge of the habitable zone of WASP-96. So close to its star, surface conditions are far too hot for liquid water.
Habitable zone of WASP-96: 0.735–1.743 AU (conservative: 0.931–1.652 AU), per Kopparapu et al. (2014). Earth orbits the Sun at 1 AU.
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Temperature on WASP-96 b
The equilibrium temperature of WASP-96 b is about 1,285 K (1,012 °C) — hot enough to melt many metals. This estimate ignores any atmosphere, which could change surface temperatures dramatically — Earth's greenhouse effect adds about 33 °C.
Orbit and Year Length
A year on WASP-96 b — one full orbit around WASP-96 — lasts 3.43 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year. It orbits at an average distance of 0.045 AU — closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Was WASP-96 b Discovered?
WASP-96 b was discovered in 2014 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-96 b?
WASP-96 b is 1,149.6 light-years (352.5 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet about 1,150 years ago. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 20,232,960 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-96 b scores 0.07, ranking #4,971 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-96
WASP-96
- Spectral type
- G8
- Surface temperature
- 5,540 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.06 M☉
- Radius
- 1.05 R☉
- Age
- 8.0 billion years (Sun: 4.6)
Planetary System
WASP-96 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-96 so far.
WASP-96 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 13.450 Earth radii (1.200 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 152.55 Earth masses (0.480 Jupiter masses) |
| Density | 0.37 g/cm³ (Earth: 5.51) |
| Orbital period | 3.43 days |
| Orbital distance | 0.045 AU |
| Equilibrium temperature | 1,285 K (1,012 °C) |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 1,149.6 light-years (352.5 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Phoenix |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | SuperWASP |
| Discovery year | 2014 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2014-05-14. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-96 b
Is WASP-96 b habitable?
No — WASP-96 b orbits too close to its star and is too hot for liquid water to exist on its surface.
How far away is WASP-96 b?
WASP-96 b is about 1,150 light-years from Earth in the constellation Phoenix. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 20,232,960 years to get there.
How big is WASP-96 b compared to Earth?
WASP-96 b has 13.45 times the radius of Earth and about 153 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-96 b?
One orbit around WASP-96 takes 3.4 Earth days — short enough that 107 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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