An analysis of exoplanets listed in the NASA Exoplanet Archive.
For planets with multiple sources, we use the values from the default parameter set.
Discovered Planets
Radius vs Mass
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Most planets discovered are larger and heavier than Earth.
Star Systems
A look at the kinds of star systems where we find exoplanets
Stars per System
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Mostly single-star systems
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A few multi-star systems
2 Four-Star Systems 🤯
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Histogram of Stars per System
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Discovered Planets per System
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Most systems only have one discovered planet, but plenty have more
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Star System Distances
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Unsurprisingly, most of the star systems with confirmed exoplanets are close to us.
For reference, the distance to the center of the galaxy is 8000 parsecs
Discovery Methods
How are exoplanets detected?
Exoplanet Discovery Methods by Distance
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Three methods of detection dominate:
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Radial Velocity finds the closest exoplanets
The radial velocity method detects exoplanets by observing the slight wobbles in a star's motion caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet. This wobble induces a shift in the star's spectral lines, which can be measured to infer the presence, mass, and orbit of the planet.
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Transit is the most common at mid distances
The transit method spots exoplanets by detecting the dip in a star's brightness when a planet passes in front of it, blocking some of its light.
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Microlensing is the primary method effective for exoplanets over 3kpc away
Microlensing is a bit more complicated. It detects exoplanets through the gravitational lensing effect, where the gravity of a foreground object (the host star) bends and amplifies the light from a background star. If a planet orbits the foreground star, it can briefly enhance this lensing effect, causing a temporary brightening in the background star's light. This momentary brightening can reveal the presence of the planet.
Discovery Method by Year
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Clearly, we've gotten much better at discovering exoplanets
Both these papers utilize techniques to confirm large numbers of planets previously detected.
Sources
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This research has made use of the NASA Exoplanet Archive, which is operated by the California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under the Exoplanet Exploration Program.
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