Exoplanet Discoveries
Exoplanets are planets orbiting stars that are not our sun.
They help us understand possible environments for other forms of life. This interactive visualization shows how exoplanet detection has changed since scientists discovered the first planets orbiting other star systems in the early 1990s. Each point represents a confirmed exoplanet, with colors indicating the discovery method used and point size representing planet mass; hover over a point to see the planet's name, distance, and discovery facility. As detection methods have become more sensitive, we are able to detect exoplanets farther and farther away, 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).
zoom between the neighborhood and the galaxy — tap or hover any planet for its story
Data Sources
This visualization 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.
Data retrieved from the archive on August 19th, 2026. Only planets with a published mass estimate appear — about 38% of confirmed planets — and mass is measured more often for some discovery methods than others, so the mix of colors reflects what has been measured, not everything that is out there. Where the archive lists multiple parameter sets for a planet, one representative value is shown.
Interactive version built with D3.js.