WASP-2 b

WASP-2 b Image

Description: WASP-2b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star WASP-2 located about 500 light years away in the constellation of Delphinus. It was discovered via the transit method, and then follow up measurements using the radial velocity method confirmed that WASP-2b was a planet. The planet's mass and radius indicate that it is a gas giant with a similar bulk composition to Jupiter. Unlike Jupiter, but similar to many other planets detected around other stars, WASP-2b is located very close to its star, and belongs to the class of planets known as hot Jupiters. A 2008 study concluded that the WASP-2b system is a binary star system allowing even more accurate determination of stellar and planetary parameters.

Physical Properties

Mass (Jupiter mass): 0.931 MJ

Radius (Jupiter radius): 1.081 RJ

Density: 0.914 g/cm³

Equilibrium Temperature: 1311.0 K

Orbital Parameters

Orbital Period: 2.152175 days

Semi-major Axis: 0.03144 AU

Eccentricity: 0.0054

Inclination: 84.49°

Host Star Properties

Host Star: WASP-2

Spectral Type: K1

Temperature: 5180.0 K

Stellar Mass: 0.9 M

Stellar Radius: 0.87 R

Discovery Information

Planet Letter: b

Object ID: 3.11457

Host ID: 2.103393

Discovery Date: 2007-03

Discovery Year: 2007

Discovery Method: Transit

Discovery Locale: Ground

Discovery Facility: SuperWASP

Discovery Instrument: iKon-L CCD Camera

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