WASP-6b
Encyclopedia
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. The planet has mass half that of Jupiter, but its insolation
has forced a thermal expansion
of its radius over that of Jupiter.
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...
approximately 1000 light years away in the constellation 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....
. It was discovered in 2008, by the WASP
SuperWASP
SuperWASP is an international academic organisation performing an ultra-wide angle search for transiting extrasolar planets with the aim of covering the entire sky down to ~15th magnitude.-Equipment:...
survey, by astronomical transit
Astronomical transit
The term transit or astronomical transit has three meanings in astronomy:* A transit is the astronomical event that occurs when one celestial body appears to move across the face of another celestial body, hiding a small part of it, as seen by an observer at some particular vantage point...
across its parent star 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...
. This planet orbits only 4% that of Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
-Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
distance. The planet has mass half that of Jupiter, but its insolation
Insolation
Insolation is a measure of solar radiation energy received on a given surface area in a given time. It is commonly expressed as average irradiance in watts per square meter or kilowatt-hours per square meter per day...
has forced a thermal expansion
Thermal expansion
Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change in volume in response to a change in temperature.When a substance is heated, its particles begin moving more and thus usually maintain a greater average separation. Materials which contract with increasing temperature are rare; this effect is...
of its radius over that of Jupiter.