WASP-94 is a binary star system located about 690 light-years (210 parsecs) away in the constellation Microscopium. It consists of two F-type stars separated by 15″, corresponding to a projected separation of 2700 au. Both stars are known to host exoplanets.^[3]

The binary system was first observed by John Herschel in 1834 and catalogued as HJ 5234. The designation WASP-94 comes from the Wide Angle Search for Planets, and has been used since the system was found to host planets in 2014.^[3] While the two stars have similar spectral types, they differ in elemental abundance – WASP-94A has fewer volatile elements and more refractory elements than WASP-94B.^[6]

Planetary system

The two stars host a single known planet each. Both are hot Jupiters, gas giant planets completing orbits around their stars in just a few days.^[3]

WASP-94Ab transits its host star, and it has also been detected by the radial velocity method.^[3] As a result, both its size and mass are known, which show that it is a low-density planet with a highly inflated radius. It has an equilibrium temperature of 1508±75 K.^[10] Its orbit is retrograde and misaligned with the rotation of its host star.^[11] The atmosphere of WASP-94Ab appears to be relatively free of clouds, with sodium,^[10] water vapor and carbon dioxide being detected.^[12]

WASP-94Bb is a non-transiting planet that has been detected only by radial velocity, so it has no measured radius and true mass. Its minimum mass is 62% the mass of Jupiter.^[3]

See also

Other systems with multiple planet-hosting stars:

• 55 Cancri
• HD 20781 & HD 20782
• HD 133131
• XO-2
• Struve 2398

References