Created By : Naaz Fatima

Reviewed By : Phani Ponnapalli

Last Updated : May 19, 2023


The Exoplanet Discovery Calculator is a tool that assists in the discovery of an exponent using three different detection methods. All you have to do now is choose a detection method from the drop-down menu and fill in the appropriate information in the star and planet areas. To get the answer as soon as possible, enter the data and then click the calculate button.

Exoplanet Discovery Calculator Usage

Finding exoplanets is difficult, but you can try out three alternative exoplanet detection methods with our free tool. The first step is to decide on the type of detection method to use. The calculator will display the necessary information for measurement.

This section contains information on the mass of the star around which the planet orbits, the radius of the star around which the planet orbits, the mass of the planet for detection, the radius of the planet for detection, the distance between the star and the Earth, and the semi-major axis of the planet's elliptical orbit around the star.

Depending on how relevant/irrelevant each measurement type is, all of these fields may appear/disappear. If you're looking for the parameters of stars and exoplanets, go to specialised internet planet/star catalogues. Every metric ever measured can be found for each exoplanet and its connected stars.

Exoplanet Definition & History

The sun is orbited by all of the planets in the solar system. Planets that orbit other stars are classified as exoplanets. Exoplanets are difficult to see with telescopes because they are so far away. The strong glare of the stars they orbit has obscured them. As a result, astronomers have turned to new methods of finding exoplanets. The effects of the exoplanets on the stars they circle are the most significant thing to look for when looking for them.

The discovery of galaxies outside of the Milky Way was astronomy's crowning achievement. The first exoplanet was discovered in 1988, according to history, but no one believed it was a planet. Astronomers established that it was an exoplanet in 1995, and they began looking for more. There have been about 4100 exoplanets identified so far, and some of them are listed here.

  • The biggest exoplanet identified is HD 100546 b.
  • HR 2562 b - the heaviest exoplanet
  • Kepler-1520 b - disintegrating planet
  • Tadmor (Gamma Cephei b) - the first exoplanet discovered

What is the Radial Velocity Method?

This method, often known as the redshift or Doppler shift method, won the Nobel Prize. It is concerned with the change in wavelength emitted by the source as it moves away from the observer. The redshift or blueshift is the Doppler effect in the light. When an object moves away with a longer wavelength, it is called redshift; when the object moves closer, it is called blueshift. The strong gravitational field is responsible for the colour change.

The formula z = v/c defines the degree of variance between the original colour and the perceived colour. Here, v denotes the object's speed and c denotes the speed of light. When c is larger than v, the redshift is λ_reds = (1+z)*λ_og. can be used to calculate the redshift wavelength. Where λ_reds is the redshift wavelength and λ_og is the star's original wavelength.

The movement of orbiting stars can be seen directly or measured using blueshift or redshift. Because there are scenarios that yield the highest radial speed of the star and the largest Doppler shift, the radial velocity approach is good at discovering giant planets near tiny stars.

Astrometry Method | The Transit Method

It is also known as the eclipse approach because it is the simplest to comprehend. Astronomers have discovered more than 3100 planets so far using this method. It's a photometric technique for inferring the presence of one or more exoplanets in orbit around a star.

Once every orbit, the planet's orbit aligns with the line of view, and the planet will pass between the star and us, generating a partial eclipse. The transit of the planet in front of the star is visible as a minor dimming of the star's brightness. Because the planet of translation has the line of vision from the earth to the star, it is a useful method for finding very large planets with practically any orbit radius.

It is yet another way for detecting exoplanets, and it examines different aspects of the same phenomenon as radial velocity. Scientists are looking for the real movement of a star here. Only one planet has been discovered thus far due to the difficulty of measuring a star's position change.

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Direct Imaging and Gravitational Microlensing

We have a plethora of methods for detecting exoplanets. A telescope can be pointed at a star system to see if it has any planets around it. However, it entails a number of procedures, including research, identifying close relatives, and the actual data collection process. Gravitational microlensing and direct imaging are two successful ways. Direct imaging is the most effective method, and it has so far discovered 47 exoplanets. This number was more than doubled by gravitational microlensing.

According to general relativity theory, any mass affects space-time, causing light travelling by an object to bend somewhat. When planets are involved, these effects are also observed. We can detect these modest variations in light trajectories with simple detectors, allowing us to identify new planets.

FAQs on Exoplanet Discovery Calculator

1. What are the characteristics of exoplanets?

Radius, volume, mass, density, surface temperature, orbital period, albedo, eccentricity, brightness, inclination, and composition are some of the exoplanet attributes that can be measured, calculated, or inferred.


2. What is the Exoplanet Discovery Calculator and how can I utilise it?

You must choose between radial velocity, transit, and astrometry as your detection method. To check the outcome, enter all of the input values in the designated fields and press the compute button.


3. What is the formula for the transit method?

T = P/π sin-1([√(R* + Rp)² - (bR*)²)]/a) is the formula for calculating the transit duration.


4. What is the definition of redshift?

The redshift is a drop in frequency and photon energy of electromagnetic radiation caused by an increase in wavelength. Negative redshift, often known as blueshift, is the polar opposite of redshift.