SuperWASP
Encyclopedia
SuperWASP is an international academic organisation performing an ultra-wide angle search for transiting extrasolar planet
s with the aim of covering the entire sky down to ~15th magnitude.
; SuperWASP-North at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory
on the island of La Palma in the Canaries and WASP-South at the South African Astronomical Observatory
, South Africa. Each observatory consists of an array of eight Canon 200 mm f1.8 lenses backed by high quality 2k x 2k science grade CCDs. The telescopes are mounted on an equatorial telescope mount built by Optical Mechanics, Inc.
. The large field of view of the Canon lenses gives each observatory a massive sky coverage of just under 500 square degree
s per pointing.
It is hoped that SuperWASP will revolutionize our understanding of planet formation paving the way for future space missions searching for 'Earth'-like worlds.
On September 26, 2006, the team reported the discovery of two extrasolar planets: WASP-1b
(orbiting 6 million km from star once every 2.5 days) and WASP-2b
(orbiting 4.5 million km from star once every 2 days).
On October 31, 2007, the team reported the discovery of three extrasolar planets: WASP-3b
, WASP-4b
and WASP-5b
. All three planets are similar to Jovian mass and are so close to their respective stars that their orbital periods are all less than two days. These are among the shortest orbital periods discovered. The surface temperatures of the planets should be more than 2000 degrees Celsius
, owing to their short distances from their respective stars. The discoveries make the SuperWASP team the first and only one to detect planets in both the northern and southern hemispheres using the transit detection technique. The WASP-4b and WASP-5b planets are the first planets discovered by the WASP project's cameras in South Africa, while WASP-3b is the third planet discovered by the WASP project's cameras in La Palma.
In August 2009, the discovery of WASP-17b
was announced, believed to be the first planet ever discovered to orbit in the opposite direction to the spin of its star, WASP-17
.
Extrasolar planet
An extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, is a planet outside the Solar System. A total of such planets have been identified as of . It is now known that a substantial fraction of stars have planets, including perhaps half of all Sun-like stars...
s with the aim of covering the entire sky down to ~15th magnitude.
Equipment
SuperWASP consists of two robotic observatoriesRobotic telescope
A robotic telescope is an astronomical telescope and detector system that makes observations without the intervention of a human. In astronomical disciplines, a telescope qualifies as robotic if it makes those observations without being operated by a human, even if a human has to initiate the...
; SuperWASP-North at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory
Roque de los Muchachos Observatory
Roque de los Muchachos Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in the municipality of Garafía on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands...
on the island of La Palma in the Canaries and WASP-South at the South African Astronomical Observatory
South African Astronomical Observatory
South African Astronomical Observatory is the national center for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa. It was established in 1972. The observatory is run by the National Research Foundation of South Africa. The facility's function is to conduct research in astronomy and astrophysics...
, South Africa. Each observatory consists of an array of eight Canon 200 mm f1.8 lenses backed by high quality 2k x 2k science grade CCDs. The telescopes are mounted on an equatorial telescope mount built by Optical Mechanics, Inc.
Optical Mechanics, Inc.
Optical Mechanics, Inc. or OMI is a high-end American telescope and optics instrument manufacturer. OMI was founded in 2002 and produces observatory telescopes, Lidar telescopes, optical tube assemblies, telescope mirrors and reflective coatings for mirrors. OMI mirrors are used by other telescope...
. The large field of view of the Canon lenses gives each observatory a massive sky coverage of just under 500 square degree
Square degree
A square degree is a non-SI unit measure of solid angle. It is denoted in various ways, including deg2, sq.deg. and ². Just as degrees are used to measure parts of a circle, square degrees are used to measure parts of a sphere. Analogous to one degree being equal to π /180 radians, a...
s per pointing.
Function
The observatories continually monitor the sky, taking a set of images approximately once per minute, resulting in a total of up to 100 gigabytes of data per night. By using the transit method, data collected from SuperWASP can be used to measure the brightness of each star in each image, small dips in brightness caused by very large planets passing in front of their parent stars can be searched for.It is hoped that SuperWASP will revolutionize our understanding of planet formation paving the way for future space missions searching for 'Earth'-like worlds.
Structure
SuperWASP is operated by a consortium of academic institutions which include:- Instituto de Astrofisica de CanariasInstituto de Astrofísica de CanariasThe Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias is an astrophysical research institute located in Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Spain. It was founded in 1975 at the University of La Laguna.It operates two astronomical observatories in the Canary Islands:...
- Isaac Newton Group of TelescopesIsaac Newton Group of TelescopesThe Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes or ING operates the William Herschel Telescope, Isaac Newton Telescope and Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope optical telescopes for the Science and Technology Facilities Council , the NWO and the IAC...
- Keele UniversityKeele UniversityKeele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
- University of LeicesterUniversity of LeicesterThe University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
- Open UniversityOpen UniversityThe Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
- Queen's University Belfast
- St. Andrews University.
On September 26, 2006, the team reported the discovery of two extrasolar planets: WASP-1b
WASP-1b
WASP-1b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star WASP-1 located over 1000 light-years away in the constellation Andromeda. In recognition of the regional support given to the project on La Palma, the discoverers gave the planet the alternative designation Garafia-1.-Orbit and mass:The planet's...
(orbiting 6 million km from star once every 2.5 days) and WASP-2b
WASP-2b
WASP-2b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star WASP-2 located about 470 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...
(orbiting 4.5 million km from star once every 2 days).
On October 31, 2007, the team reported the discovery of three extrasolar planets: WASP-3b
WASP-3b
WASP-3b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star WASP-3 located over 727 light-years away in the constellation Lyra. It was discovered via the transit method by SuperWASP, and follow up radial velocity observations confirmed that WASP-3b is a planet. The planet's mass and radius indicate that it...
, WASP-4b
WASP-4b
WASP-4b is an extrasolar planet approximately 1,000 light-years away in the constellation of Phoenix. The planet was discovered orbiting the star WASP-4 in October 2007. The planet's mass and radius indicate that it is a gas giant, similar to Jupiter...
and WASP-5b
WASP-5b
WASP-5b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star WASP-5 located over 967 light-years away in the constellation Phoenix. The planet's mass and radius indicate that it is a gas giant with a similar bulk composition to Jupiter. The small orbital distance of WASP-5 b around its star mean it belongs to...
. All three planets are similar to Jovian mass and are so close to their respective stars that their orbital periods are all less than two days. These are among the shortest orbital periods discovered. The surface temperatures of the planets should be more than 2000 degrees Celsius
Celsius
Celsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
, owing to their short distances from their respective stars. The discoveries make the SuperWASP team the first and only one to detect planets in both the northern and southern hemispheres using the transit detection technique. The WASP-4b and WASP-5b planets are the first planets discovered by the WASP project's cameras in South Africa, while WASP-3b is the third planet discovered by the WASP project's cameras in La Palma.
In August 2009, the discovery of WASP-17b
WASP-17b
WASP-17b is an exoplanet in the constellation Scorpius that is orbiting the star WASP-17. Its discovery was announced on 11 August 2009. It is the first planet discovered to have a retrograde orbit, meaning it orbits in a direction counter to the rotation of its host star. This discovery changed...
was announced, believed to be the first planet ever discovered to orbit in the opposite direction to the spin of its star, WASP-17
WASP-17
WASP-17 is an F-type main sequence star approximately 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. As of 2009, an extrasolar planet has been confirmed to orbit the star...
.
Planets discovered by SuperWASP
| Star Star A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth... |
Constellation Constellation In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky.... |
Right ascension Right ascension Right ascension is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. The other coordinate is the declination.-Explanation:... |
Declination Declination In astronomy, declination is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. Declination in astronomy is comparable to geographic latitude, but projected onto the celestial sphere. Declination is measured in degrees north and... |
App. mag. Apparent magnitude The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere... |
Distance (ly) | Spectral type Stellar classification In astronomy, stellar classification is a classification of stars based on their spectral characteristics. The spectral class of a star is a designated class of a star describing the ionization of its chromosphere, what atomic excitations are most prominent in the light, giving an objective measure... |
Planet Planet A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,... |
Mass Mass Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:... (MJ Jupiter mass Jupiter mass , is the unit of mass equal to the total mass of the planet Jupiter . Jupiter mass is used to describe masses of the gas giants, such as the outer planets and extrasolar planets. It is also used in describing brown dwarfs.... ) |
Radius Radius In classical geometry, a radius of a circle or sphere is any line segment from its center to its perimeter. By extension, the radius of a circle or sphere is the length of any such segment, which is half the diameter. If the object does not have an obvious center, the term may refer to its... (RJ) |
Orbital period Orbital period The orbital period is the time taken for a given object to make one complete orbit about another object.When mentioned without further qualification in astronomy this refers to the sidereal period of an astronomical object, which is calculated with respect to the stars.There are several kinds of... (d Day A day is a unit of time, commonly defined as an interval equal to 24 hours. It also can mean that portion of the full day during which a location is illuminated by the light of the sun... ) |
Semimajor axis (AU Astronomical unit An astronomical unit is a unit of length equal to about or approximately the mean Earth–Sun distance.... ) |
Orbital eccentricity |
Inclination Inclination Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction.-Orbits:The inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit... (° Degree (angle) A degree , usually denoted by ° , is a measurement of plane angle, representing 1⁄360 of a full rotation; one degree is equivalent to π/180 radians... ) |
Discovery year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WASP-1 WASP-1 WASP-1 is a metal rich magnitude 12 star located about 1240 light-years away in the Andromeda constellation.-Planetary system:In 2006 the extrasolar planet WASP-1b was discovered by the SuperWASP project using the transit method.... |
Andromeda Andromeda (constellation) Andromeda is a constellation in the northern sky. It is named after Andromeda, the princess in the Greek legend of Perseus who was chained to a rock to be eaten by the sea monster Cetus... |
11.79 | 1031 | F7V | b WASP-1b WASP-1b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star WASP-1 located over 1000 light-years away in the constellation Andromeda. In recognition of the regional support given to the project on La Palma, the discoverers gave the planet the alternative designation Garafia-1.-Orbit and mass:The planet's... |
0.86 | 1.484 | 2.5199464 | 0.0382 | 0 | 88.65 | 2006 | ||
| WASP-2 WASP-2 WASP-2 is a magnitude 12 orange dwarf star located about 469 light-years away in the Delphinus constellation.-Planetary system:This star has one extrasolar planet WASP-2b, detected by the SuperWASP project in 2006.-Binary star:... |
Delphinus Delphinus Delphinus is a constellation in the northern sky, close to the celestial equator. Its name is Latin for dolphin. Delphinus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains among the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical... |
11.98 | 493 | K1V | b WASP-2b WASP-2b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star WASP-2 located about 470 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... |
0.847 | 1.079 | 2.15222144 | 0.03138 | 0 | 84.73 | 2006 | ||
| WASP-3 WASP-3 WASP-3 is a magnitude 10 yellow-white dwarf star located about 727 light-years away in the Lyra constellation.-Planetary system:The extrasolar planet WASP-3b was detected by the SuperWASP project in 2007.... |
Lyra | 10.64 | 727 | F7V | b WASP-3b WASP-3b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star WASP-3 located over 727 light-years away in the constellation Lyra. It was discovered via the transit method by SuperWASP, and follow up radial velocity observations confirmed that WASP-3b is a planet. The planet's mass and radius indicate that it... |
2.06 | 1.454 | 1.8468372 | 0.0313 | 0 | 85.06 | 2007 | ||
| WASP-4 WASP-4 WASP-4 is a G-type main sequence star approximately 1,000 light-years away in the constellation of Phoenix.-Planetary system:In 2007, an extrasolar planet, WASP-4b, was discovered orbiting this star.... |
Phoenix Phoenix (constellation) Phoenix is a minor constellation in the southern sky. It is named after the Phoenix, a mythical bird. It is faint: there are only two stars in the whole constellation which are brighter than magnitude 5.0... |
12.6 | 851 | G7V | b WASP-4b WASP-4b is an extrasolar planet approximately 1,000 light-years away in the constellation of Phoenix. The planet was discovered orbiting the star WASP-4 in October 2007. The planet's mass and radius indicate that it is a gas giant, similar to Jupiter... |
1.1215 | 1.363 | 1.33823187 | 0.02312 | 0 | 88.8 | 2007 | ||
| WASP-5 WASP-5 WASP-5 is a magnitude 12 yellow dwarf star located about 910 light-years away in the Phoenix constellation.-Planetary system:This star has one extrasolar planet WASP-5b detected by the SuperWASP project in 2007.-External links:... |
Phoenix Phoenix (constellation) Phoenix is a minor constellation in the southern sky. It is named after the Phoenix, a mythical bird. It is faint: there are only two stars in the whole constellation which are brighter than magnitude 5.0... |
12.26 | 967 | G4V | b WASP-5b WASP-5b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star WASP-5 located over 967 light-years away in the constellation Phoenix. The planet's mass and radius indicate that it is a gas giant with a similar bulk composition to Jupiter. The small orbital distance of WASP-5 b around its star mean it belongs to... |
1.58 | 1.09 | 1.6284296 | 0.02683 | 0 | 85.8 | 2007 | ||
| WASP-6 WASP-6 WASP-6 is a type-G yellow dwarf star located about 1000 light-years away in the Aquarius constellation. Dim at magnitude 12, it is visible through a moderate sized amateur telescope. The star is about 80% of the size and mass of the Sun and it is a little cooler.-Planetary system:The SuperWASP... |
Aquarius Aquarius (constellation) Aquarius is a constellation of the zodiac, situated between Capricornus and Pisces. Its name is Latin for "water-bearer" or "cup-bearer", and its symbol is , a representation of water.... |
12.4 | 1001 | G8V | b WASP-6b WASP-6b is an extrasolar planet approximately 1000 light years away in the constellation Aquarius. It was discovered in 2008, by the WASP survey, by astronomical transit across its parent star WASP-6. This planet orbits only 4% that of Earth-Sun distance... |
0.5 | 1.3 | 3.36 | 0.0269 | 0.054 | 88.47 | 2008 | ||
| WASP-7 WASP-7 WASP-7, also identified as HD 197286, is a type F star located about 456 light years away in the constellation Microscopium. This star is a little larger and about 28% more massive than the Sun and is also brighter and hotter... |
Microscopium Microscopium Microscopium is a small constellation in the southern sky, created in the 18th century by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. Its name is Latin for microscope. Its stars are very faint and hardly visible from most of the non-tropical northern hemisphere.-References:... |
9.51 | 460 | F5V | b WASP-7b WASP-7b is an extrasolar planet discovered in 2008. This 5-day period planet is slightly smaller than Jupiter, roughly the same mass and more dense.-External links:*http://www.superwasp.org/wasp_planets.htm... |
0.96 | 0.915 | 4.954658 | 0.0618 | 0 | 89.6 | 2008 | ||
| WASP-8 WASP-8 WASP-8 is a magnitude 9.9 main sequence yellow dwarf star. It is reported to be a G type star of temperature 5600 K, mass of 0.93 solar masses, radius of 0.93 solar radius, and a luminosity of 0.79 of solar luminosity.- Planetary system :... |
Sculptor Sculptor (constellation) Sculptor is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. It represents a sculptor. It was introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. He originally named it Apparatus Sculptoris , but the name was later shortened.-Notable features:No stars brighter than 3rd magnitude are... |
9.9 | 160 | G6 | b WASP-8b WASP-8b is an extrasolar planet discovered in the SuperWASP batch -6b to -15b. On 1 April 2008, Dr. Don Pollacco of Queen’s University Belfast announced them at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting .... |
2.23 | 1.17 | 8.16 | 0.0793 | 0.3082 | 88.52 | 2008 | ||
| WASP-10 WASP-10 WASP-10 is a star in the constellation Pegasus. The SuperWASP project has observed and classified this star as a variable star, perhaps due to the eclipsing planet.-Planetary system:-WASP-10b:... |
Pegasus Pegasus (constellation) Pegasus is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the winged horse Pegasus in Greek mythology. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:... |
12.7 | 290 | K5 | b WASP-10b WASP-10b is an extrasolar planet discovered in 2008 by SuperWASP using the transit method. Follow-up radial velocity observations showed that it is three times more massive than Jupiter, while the transit observations showed that its radius is 8% bigger than Jupiter, quite small for a Hot Jupiter... |
3.06 | 1.08 | 3.0927616 | 0.0371 | 0.057 | 86.8 | 2008 | ||
| WASP-11/HAT-P-10 WASP-11/HAT-P-10 WASP-11/HAT-P-10 is a magnitude-12 main-sequence orange dwarf star about 400 light years away in the constellation Perseus.-Planetary system:... |
Perseus Perseus (constellation) Perseus is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the Greek hero Perseus. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations defined by the International Astronomical Union... |
11.89 | 408 | K3V | b | 0.460 | 1.045 | 3.7224690 | 0.0439 | 0 | 88.5 | 2008 | ||
| WASP-12 WASP-12 WASP-12 is a magnitude 11 yellow dwarf star located approximately 800 light-years away in the constellation Auriga. WASP-12 has a mass and radius similar to the Sun- Planetary system :... |
Auriga Auriga (constellation) Auriga is a constellation in the northern sky. Its name is Latin for 'charioteer' and its stars form a shape that has been associated with the pointed helmet of a charioteer. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains among the 88 modern... |
11.7 | 871 | G0V | b WASP-12b WASP-12b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star WASP-12, discovered by the SuperWASP planetary transit survey. Its discovery was announced on April 1, 2008. Due to its extremely close orbit to its star, it has one of the lowest densities for exoplanets... |
1.404 | 1.736 | 1.0914222 | 0.02293 | 0 | 86 | 2008 | ||
| WASP-13 | Lynx Lynx (constellation) Lynx is a constellation in the northern sky, introduced in the 17th century by Johannes Hevelius. It is named after the lynx, a genus of cat. It is a very faint constellation; its brightest stars form a zigzag line.-History:... |
10.7 | 509 | G1V | b WASP-13b WASP-13b is an extrasolar planet that was discovered in 2008 in the orbit of the sunlike star WASP-13. The planet has a mass of nearly half that of Jupiter, but a radius five-fourths the size of Jupiter... |
0.485 | 1.365 | 4.353011 | 0.05379 | 0 | 85.64 | 2008 | ||
| WASP-14 WASP-14 |- bgcolor="#FFFAFA"| Equatorial [ g ] || 214,75955 m/s2WASP-14 or BD+22 2716 is a star in the constellation Boötes.The SuperWASP project has observed and classified this star as a variable star, perhaps due to the eclipsing planet.-Planetary system:WASP-14b is an extrasolar planet discovered in... |
Boötes Boötes Boötes is a constellation in the northern sky, located between 0° and +60° declination, and 13 and 16 hours of right ascension on the celestial sphere. The name comes from the Greek Βοώτης, Boōtēs, meaning herdsman or plowman... |
9.75 | 520 | F5V | b WASP-14b WASP-14b is an extrasolar planet discovered in 2008 by SuperWASP using the transit method. Follow-up radial velocity measurements showed that the mass of WASP-14b is almost eight times larger than that of Jupiter. The radius found by the transit observations show that it has a radius 25% larger... |
7.725 | 1.259 | 2.2437704 | 0.037 | 0.0903 | 84.79 | 2008 | ||
| WASP-15 WASP-15 WASP-15 is a magnitude 11 star located about 1000 light-years away in the constellation Hydra. The star, which is more massive, larger, hotter, and more luminous than the Sun, is also less metal-rich than the Sun... |
Hydra Hydra (constellation) Hydra is the largest of the 88 modern constellations, measuring 1303 square degrees. It has a long history, having been included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy. It is commonly represented as a water snake... |
10.9 | 1005 | F5 | b WASP-15b WASP-15b is an extrasolar planet discovered in 2008 by the SuperWASP collaboration, which seeks to discover exoplanets that transit their host stars. The planet orbits its host star at a distance of 0.05 AU every four days... |
0.54 | 1.16 | 3.75 | 0.0472 | 0 | 85.5 | 2008 | ||
| WASP-16 WASP-16 WASP-16 is a magnitude 11 yellow dwarf main sequence star, with characteristics similar to our Sun, located in the Virgo constellation.-Planetary system:... |
Virgo Virgo (constellation) Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for virgin, and its symbol is . Lying between Leo to the west and Libra to the east, it is the second largest constellation in the sky... |
11.3 | 520 | G3V | b WASP-16b WASP-16b is an extrasolar planet that travels around its star, WASP-16, every 3.12 days. Likely a hot Jupiter. Its mass is near .855 of Jupiter, the radius is 1.008 of Jupiter. It was discovered in 2009 by a team led by T.A. Lister as part of the Wide Angle Search for Planets project.-External... |
0.855 | 1.008 | 3.12 | 0.0421 | 0 | 85.22 | 2009 | ||
| WASP-17 WASP-17 WASP-17 is an F-type main sequence star approximately 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. As of 2009, an extrasolar planet has been confirmed to orbit the star... |
Scorpius | 11.6 | 1000 | F6 | b WASP-17b WASP-17b is an exoplanet in the constellation Scorpius that is orbiting the star WASP-17. Its discovery was announced on 11 August 2009. It is the first planet discovered to have a retrograde orbit, meaning it orbits in a direction counter to the rotation of its host star. This discovery changed... |
0.486 | 1.991 | 3.735438 | 0.0515 | 0.028 | 86.83 | 2009 | ||
| WASP-18 WASP-18 WASP-18 is a magnitude 9 star located in the Phoenix constellation of the southern hemisphere. It has a mass of 1.25 solar masses.-Planetary system:... |
Phoenix Phoenix (constellation) Phoenix is a minor constellation in the southern sky. It is named after the Phoenix, a mythical bird. It is faint: there are only two stars in the whole constellation which are brighter than magnitude 5.0... |
9.29 | 330 | F9 | b WASP-18b WASP-18b is an extrasolar planet that is notable for having an orbital period of less than one day. It has a mass equal to 10 Jupiter masses, just below the boundary line between planets and brown dwarfs, about 13 Jupiter masses. Due to tidal deceleration, it is expected to spiral towards and... |
10.3 | 1.106 | 0.94145299 | 0.02026 | 0.0092 | 86 | 2009 | ||
| WASP-19 WASP-19 WASP-19 is a magnitude 12.3 star located in the Vela constellation of the southern hemisphere. This star has been found to host a transiting hot Jupiter-type planet in tight orbit.-Planetary system:... |
Vela Vela (constellation) Vela is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the sails of a ship, and it was originally part of a larger constellation, the ship Argo Navis, which was later divided into three parts, the others being Carina and Puppis.-Stars:... |
12.3 | 815 | G8V | b WASP-19b WASP-19b is an extrasolar planet, notable for possessing the shortest orbital period of any known planetary body: 0.7888399 days or approximately 18.932 hours.... |
1.168 | 1.386 | 0.78884 | 0.01655 | 0.0046 | 79.4 | 2009 | ||
| WASP-20 | b | 0.3 | 4 | 0.9 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-21 | Pegasus Pegasus (constellation) Pegasus is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the winged horse Pegasus in Greek mythology. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:... |
11.6 | 750 | G3V | b | 0.3 | 1.21 | 4.322506 | 0.052 | 0 | 87.29 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-22 | Eridanus Eridanus (constellation) Eridanus is a constellation. It is represented as a river; its name is the Ancient Greek name for the Po River. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. It is the sixth largest of the modern... |
12.0 | 980 | G1 | b | 0.588 | 1.158 | 3.5327313 | 0.04698 | 0 | 88.26 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-23 | Puppis Puppis Puppis is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is the Latin word for the poop deck of a ship, and Puppis represents the deck of the ship and its deckhouses... |
12.7 | K1V | b | 0.884 | 0.962 | 2.9444256 | 0.0376 | < 0.062 | 88.39 | 2010 | |||
| WASP-24 WASP-24 WASP-24 is an F-type star with the Hot Jupiter planet WASP-24b in orbit. WASP-24 is slightly larger and more massive than the Sun, but is more metal-rich and hotter than the Sun. However, it is probably not a part of the main sequence, as seen in its young age... |
Virgo Virgo (constellation) Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for virgin, and its symbol is . Lying between Leo to the west and Libra to the east, it is the second largest constellation in the sky... |
11.3 | 1080 | F8-9 | b WASP-24b WASP-24b is a Hot Jupiter detected in the orbit of the F-type star WASP-24. The planet is approximately the same size and mass of Jupiter, but it orbits at approximately 4% of the mean distance between the Earth and the Sun every two days... |
1.03 | 1.10 | 2.341 | 0.0359 | 0 | 85.71 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-25 | Hydra Hydra (constellation) Hydra is the largest of the 88 modern constellations, measuring 1303 square degrees. It has a long history, having been included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy. It is commonly represented as a water snake... |
11.9 | 550 | G4 | b | 0.58 | 1.26 | 3.765 | 0.0487 | 0 | 87.7 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-26 | Cetus | 11.3 | 815 | G0 | b | 1.028 | 1.281 | 2.7566004 | 0.03985 | 0 | 82.91 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-28 | Pisces Pisces (constellation) Pisces is a constellation of the zodiac. Its name is the Latin plural for fish, and its symbol is . It lies between Aquarius to the west and Aries to the east... |
12 | 1090 | F8-G0 | b | 1.12 | 0.91 | 3.409 | 0.0455 | 0.046 | 89.1 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-29 | Phoenix Phoenix (constellation) Phoenix is a minor constellation in the southern sky. It is named after the Phoenix, a mythical bird. It is faint: there are only two stars in the whole constellation which are brighter than magnitude 5.0... |
11.3 | 260 | K4V | b | 0.25 | 0.74 | 3.923 | 0.0456 | 0 | 87.96 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-31 | Crater Crater (constellation) Crater is a constellation. Its name is Latin for cup, and in Greek mythology it is identified with the cup of the god Apollo. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations... |
11.7 | 1305 | F | b | 0.478 | 1.537 | 3.405909 | 0.04657 | 0 | 84.54 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-32 | Pisces Pisces (constellation) Pisces is a constellation of the zodiac. Its name is the Latin plural for fish, and its symbol is . It lies between Aquarius to the west and Aries to the east... |
11.3 | G | b | 3.6 | 1.18 | 2.71865 | 0.0394 | 0.018 | 85.3 | 2010 | |||
| WASP-33 | Andromeda Andromeda (constellation) Andromeda is a constellation in the northern sky. It is named after Andromeda, the princess in the Greek legend of Perseus who was chained to a rock to be eaten by the sea monster Cetus... |
8.3 | 378 | A5 | b | < 4.59 | 1.438 | 1.21986967 | 0.02558 | 0 | 87.67 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-34 | Crater Crater (constellation) Crater is a constellation. Its name is Latin for cup, and in Greek mythology it is identified with the cup of the god Apollo. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations... |
10.4 | 391 | G5 | b | 0.59 | 1.22 | 4.3176782 | 0.0524 | 0.038 | 85.2 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-35 | b | 0.72 | 1.32 | 3.161575 | 0.04317 | 87.96 | 2011 | |||||||
| WASP-36 | b | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 2010 | |||||||||
| WASP-37 | Virgo Virgo (constellation) Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for virgin, and its symbol is . Lying between Leo to the west and Libra to the east, it is the second largest constellation in the sky... |
12.7 | 1102 | G2 | b | 1.696 | 1.136 | 3.577471 | 0.04339 | 0 | 88.78 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-38 | Hercules Hercules (constellation) Hercules is a constellation named after Hercules, the Roman mythological hero adapted from the Greek hero Heracles. Hercules was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations today... |
9.42 | 359 | F8 | b | 2.712 | 1.079 | 6.871815 | 0.07551 | 0.0321 | 88.69 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-39 | Virgo Virgo (constellation) Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for virgin, and its symbol is . Lying between Leo to the west and Libra to the east, it is the second largest constellation in the sky... |
12.11 | 750 | G8 | b | 0.28 | 1.27 | 4.055259 | 0.0486 | 0 | 87.83 | 2011 | ||
| WASP-40/HAT-P-27 | Virgo Virgo (constellation) Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for virgin, and its symbol is . Lying between Leo to the west and Libra to the east, it is the second largest constellation in the sky... |
12.21 | 665 | G8 | b | 0.66 | 1.055 | 3.0395721 | 0.0403 | 0.078 | 84.98 | 2011 | ||
| WASP-41 | Centaurus | 11.6 | 587 | G8V | b | 0.92 | 1.21 | 3.052394 | 0.04 | 0 | 87.3 | 2010 | ||
| WASP-42 | b | 0.6 | 1 | 5 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-43 WASP-43 WASP-43 is a K-type star in the Sextans constellation. It is almost the same size as the Sun, but approximately half the mass. WASP-43 has one known planet in orbit, a Hot Jupiter called WASP-43b. At the time of publishing of WASP-43b's discovery on April 15, 2011, the planet was the most closely... |
Sextans Sextans Sextans is a minor equatorial constellation which was introduced in 1687 by Johannes Hevelius. Its name is Latin for the astronomical sextant, an instrument that Hevelius made frequent use of in his observations.-Notable features:... |
12.4 | K7V | b WASP-43b WASP-43b is a transiting planet in orbit around the young, active, and low-mass star WASP-43 in the constellation Sextans. The planet is a Hot Jupiter with a mass almost twice that of Jupiter, but a radius that is slightly less than Jupiter's... |
1.78 | 0.93 | 0.813475 | 0.0142 | 0 | 82.6 | 2011 | |||
| WASP-44 WASP-44 WASP-44 is a G-type star in constellation Cetus that has the Jupiter-size planet WASP-44b in orbit. The star is slightly less massive and slightly smaller than the Sun; it is also slightly cooler, but is more metal-rich... |
Cetus | 12.9 | G8V | b WASP-44b WASP-44b is a closely orbiting Jupiter-sized planet found in the orbit of the sunlike star WASP-44 by the SuperWASP program, which searches for transiting planets that cross in front of their host stars as seen from Earth. After follow-up observations using radial velocity, the planet was confirmed... |
0.889 | 1.14 | 2.4238039 | 0.03473 | 0 | 86.02 | 2011 | |||
| WASP-45 | Sculptor Sculptor (constellation) Sculptor is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. It represents a sculptor. It was introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. He originally named it Apparatus Sculptoris , but the name was later shortened.-Notable features:No stars brighter than 3rd magnitude are... |
12 | K2V | b | 1.007 | 1.16 | 3.1260876 | 0.04054 | 0 | 84.47 | 2011 | |||
| WASP-46 | Indus Indus (constellation) Indus is a constellation in the southern sky. Created in the sixteenth century, it represents an Indian, a word that could refer at the time to any native of Asia or the Americas.-Notable features:... |
12.9 | G6V | b | 2.101 | 1.31 | 1.43037 | 0.02448 | 0 | 82.63 | 2011 | |||
| WASP-47 | b | 1.1 | 4.1 | 1.2 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-48 | Cygnus Cygnus (constellation) Cygnus is a northern constellation lying on the plane of the Milky Way. Its name is the Latinized Hellenic word for swan. One of the most recognizable constellations of the northern summer and autumn, it features a prominent asterism known as the Northern Cross... |
11.06 | b | 0.98 | 1.67 | 2.143634 | 0.03444 | 0 | 80.09 | 2011 | ||||
| WASP-49 | b | 0.4 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-50 | Eridanus Eridanus (constellation) Eridanus is a constellation. It is represented as a river; its name is the Ancient Greek name for the Po River. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. It is the sixth largest of the modern... |
11.6 | 750 | G9 | b | 1.468 | 1.153 | 1.9550959 | 0.02945 | 0.009 | 84.74 | 2011 | ||
| WASP-51/HAT-P-30 | Draco Draco (constellation) Draco is a constellation in the far northern sky. Its name is Latin for dragon. Draco is circumpolar for many observers in the northern hemisphere... |
10.36 | 629 | F | b | 0.711 | 1.34 | 2.810595 | 0.0419 | 0.035 | 83.6 | 2011 | ||
| WASP-52 | b | 0.5 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-53 | b | 2.5 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-54 | b | 0.6 | 3.7 | 1.4 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-55 | b | 0.6 | 4.5 | 1.4 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-56 | b | 0.6 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-57 | b | 0.8 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-58 | b | 1.1 | 5 | 1.3 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-59 | b | 0.7 | 7.9 | 0.9 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-60 | b | 0.5 | 4.3 | 0.9 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-61 | b | 1.7 | 3.8 | 1.4 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-62 | b | 0.5 | 4.4 | 1.5 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-63 | b | 0.3 | 4.4 | 1 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-64 | b | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-65 | b | 1.6 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-66 | b | 1.9 | 1.5 | 4.1 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-67 | b | 0.4 | 1.7 | 4.6 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-68 | b | 0.8 | 0.9 | 5.1 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-69 | b | 0.3 | 1 | 3.9 | 2011 | |||||||||
| WASP-70 | b | 0.6 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 2011 |
See also
- List of extrasolar planets
- Roque de los Muchachos ObservatoryRoque de los Muchachos ObservatoryRoque de los Muchachos Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in the municipality of Garafía on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands...
- South African Astronomical ObservatorySouth African Astronomical ObservatorySouth African Astronomical Observatory is the national center for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa. It was established in 1972. The observatory is run by the National Research Foundation of South Africa. The facility's function is to conduct research in astronomy and astrophysics...
- Science and Technology Facilities CouncilScience and Technology Facilities CouncilThe Science and Technology Facilities Council is a UK government body that carries out civil research in science and engineering, and funds UK research in areas including particle physics, nuclear physics, space science and astronomy .-History:It was formed in April 2007 as a merger of the Particle...
External links
- SuperWASP primary website — links to individual university sites
- WASP-South live status
- Public archive at the University of Leicester
- The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia
News items
- QUB in April 2008
- Reaching for the stars in October 2007
- BBC News report: Planets have scientists buzzing in September 2006