Exoplanet Discoveries
Exoplanets are planets orbiting stars that are not our sun. They help us understand possible environments for other forms of life. This visualization shows how exoplanet detection has changed since scientists discovered the first planets orbiting other star systems in the past few decades. Color represents the method of detection, and size represents the mass of the planet. As detection methods have become more sensitive, we are able to detect exoplanets farther and farther, especially via the transit method (light dims as exoplanets pass in front of their star) or the microlensing method (where light from extrasolar stars and planets is bent due to gravity of objects in space).
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.