HAT-P-3b
Encyclopedia
HAT-P-3b is an extrasolar planet
that orbits the star HAT-P-3
approximately 457 light-year
s away in the constellation
of Ursa Major. It was discovered by the HATNet Project
via the transit
method, so both its mass and radius are known quite precisely; based on these figures it is predicted that the planet has about 75 Earth mass
es worth of heavy elements in its core, making it similar to the planet HD 149026b.
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...
that orbits the star HAT-P-3
HAT-P-3
HAT-P-3, also referred to by the designation GSC 03466-00819 is a star located about 450 light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. At a magnitude of about 12 it is not visible to the naked eye but is visible in a small to medium-sized amateur telescope...
approximately 457 light-year
Light-year
A light-year, also light year or lightyear is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres...
s away in the 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....
of Ursa Major. It was discovered by the HATNet Project
HATNet Project
The Hungarian Automated Telescope Network project is a network of six small fully automated "HAT" telescopes. The scientific goal of the project is to detect and characterize extrasolar planets using the transit method. This network is used also to find and follow bright variable stars...
via the 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...
method, so both its mass and radius are known quite precisely; based on these figures it is predicted that the planet has about 75 Earth mass
Earth mass
Earth mass is the unit of mass equal to that of the Earth. 1 M⊕ = 5.9722 × 1024 kg. Earth mass is often used to describe masses of rocky terrestrial planets....
es worth of heavy elements in its core, making it similar to the planet HD 149026b.