WASP-97 b
WASP-97 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting WASP-97 in the constellation Eridanus. It lies about 493 light-years from Earth and was discovered in 2014 using the transit method.
How Big Is WASP-97 b?
WASP-97 b has a radius of 12.78 times that of Earth, or 1.14 times the radius of Jupiter. Its mass is 432 times that of Earth.
Is WASP-97 b in the Habitable Zone?
The position of WASP-97 b relative to the habitable zone of WASP-97 cannot be precisely determined from the available orbital data.
Habitable zone of WASP-97: 0.779–1.841 AU (conservative: 0.986–1.746 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-97 b — one full orbit around WASP-97 — lasts 2.07 Earth days, shorter than Mercury's 88-day year.
How Was WASP-97 b Discovered?
WASP-97 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-97 b?
WASP-97 b is 492.7 light-years (151.1 parsecs) from Earth. Light arriving here tonight left the planet around the year 1534. A probe traveling at the speed of Voyager 1 — about 17 km/s, the fastest outbound spacecraft ever launched — would need roughly 8,671,520 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-97 b scores 0.07, ranking #4,926 of 5,568 planets with a known ESI. For reference, Mars scores about 0.70.
The Host Star: WASP-97
WASP-97
- Surface temperature
- 5,640 K (Sun: 5,772 K)
- Mass
- 1.18 M☉
- Radius
- 1.08 R☉
Planetary System
WASP-97 b is the only planet known to orbit WASP-97 so far.
WASP-97 b — Complete Data
| Radius | 12.778 Earth radii (1.140 Jupiter radii) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 432.25 Earth masses (1.360 Jupiter masses) |
| Orbital period | 2.07 days |
| Earth Similarity Index | 0.07 |
| Distance from Earth | 492.7 light-years (151.1 parsecs) |
| Constellation | Eridanus |
| Discovery method | Transit |
| Discovery facility | SuperWASP |
| Discovery year | 2014 |
Data: NASA Exoplanet Archive, last updated 2018-04-25. Earth Similarity Index: PHL @ UPR Arecibo.
Frequently Asked Questions About WASP-97 b
Is WASP-97 b habitable?
WASP-97 b is not known to orbit within the habitable zone of WASP-97, and as a hot Jupiter it is an unlikely candidate for life as we know it.
How far away is WASP-97 b?
WASP-97 b is about 493 light-years from Earth in the constellation Eridanus. A spacecraft traveling as fast as Voyager 1 (about 17 km/s) would need roughly 8,671,520 years to get there.
How big is WASP-97 b compared to Earth?
WASP-97 b has 12.78 times the radius of Earth and about 432 times its mass.
How long is a year on WASP-97 b?
One orbit around WASP-97 takes 2.1 Earth days — short enough that 176 of its years would fit into one Earth year.
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