WASP-66 has a classification of F4.5 V, which states that it is an ordinary F-type main sequence star that is fusing hydrogen at its core. At present it has 130% the mass of the Sun and 175 the radius of the Sun.[4] It has an effective temperature of 6,600 K,[4] which gives it a yellowish-white hue. The star is younger than Sun at 3.7+0.7 −1.2 billion years, and may be either metal-poor[4] or similar to Sun[5] in concentration of heavy elements. Currently it is spinning moderately with a projected rotational velocity of 13.4 km/s.[4]
According to a survey published in 2017, WASP-66 has one suspected companion - a red dwarf star with an effective temperature of 3,330±150 K and a projected separation of 6,800±700 AU.[8]
Planetary system
In 2012, a superjovianplanet around WASP-66 was discovered. WASP-66b has a mass that is about 2.3 times that of Jupiter. It takes just over 4 days to complete an orbit around its star, making it a typical hot Jupiter. The planet was discovered by the transit method – this is when a planet passes in front of a star, temporarily blocking some of the star's light.[7]
The planetary orbit is well aligned with the equatorial plane of the star, the misalignment angle being equal to −4±22°.[9]
^Høg, E.; et al. (2000). "The Tycho-2 catalogue of the 2.5 million brightest stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 355: L27 –L30. Bibcode:2000A&A...355L..27H.