Exoplanet Archive Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened to NStED and the stellar data it contained?
- Why is the number of planets in the NASA Exoplanet Archive different from the count at the Extrasolar Planet Encyclopedia or exoplanets.org?
- When are planets included in the NASA Exoplanet Archive?
- How are the pre-generated plots created?
- How can I contribute my data to the archive?
- What happened to the KIC stars which used to be on the false positive list?
- What is a TCE?
- What is a KOI and how is it different from a Kepler Planetary Candidate?
- How are Kepler numbers assigned?
- Why are values for the KOI planetary radius (orbital period, etc) different between the confirmed planet table and the KOI table?
- Why aren't all confirmed Kepler planets in the KOI table?
- Can I create a custom transit ephemeris using the Transit Ephemeris Predictor?
Q:What happened to NStED and the stellar data it contained?
A: NStED (the NASA Stellar and Exoplanet Database) is no longer supported, but the exoplanet data is still available as part of the NASA Exoplanet Archive. The Exoplanet Archive also contains stellar parameters for exoplanet host stars and a limited number of data sets available for bulk download (see the Bulk Download page).
Searching by stellar parameters for non-planet-hosting stars is no longer available.
Q: Why is the number of planets in the NASA Exoplanet Archive different from the count at the Extrasolar Planet Encyclopedia or exoplanets.org?
A: Each of the exoplanet-related sites have different criteria that are used to include new exoplanets. The NASA Exoplanet Archive includes planets for which the planetary and orbital properties are publicly available, usually through refereed publications. We also restrict our list to those objects whose detection and planetary status is unambiguous. For more information about the archive's criteria for classifying and including planetary objects, see the Exoplanet Criteria page.
Q: When are planets included in the NASA Exoplanet Archive?
A: The list of planets is routinely updated once per week but may be updated more frequently depending on new significant exoplanet discoveries.
Q: How are the pre-generated plots created?
A: The pre-generated plots are produced by using the currently available data within the Exoplanet Archive. Thus, whenever there is an update to the archive information, the plots are re-created to ensure they are as current as possible. This purpose of these plots is to provide to the community fast access to presentation material that describe the current state of the exoplanets field in terms of their number and our understanding of their orbital and physical characteristics.
Q: How can I contribute my data to the archive?
A: The Exoplanet Archive welcomes contributions that meet the guidelines outlined in our documentation.
Q: What happened to the KIC stars which used to be on the false positive list?
A: The objects KOI 68.01 (KepID 8669092), KOI 266.01 (KepID 7375348), KOI 414.01 (KepID 5872150), KOI 948.01 (KepID 9761882), and KOI 1319.01 (KepID 4078157) are no longer considered to be false positives.
Q: What happened to KOI 1902.01 from the candidate list?
A: That object is now considered to be a false positive.
Q: What is a TCE?
A: TCE stands for Threshold Crossing Event and is identified by the Kepler pipeline. A Threshold Crossing Event (TCE) is a sequence of transit-like features in the flux time series of a given target that resembles the signature of a transiting planet to a sufficient degree that the target is passed on for further analysis. For more information, see the Kepler documentation list. The interactive TCE table is available here.
Q: What is a KOI and how is it different from a Kepler Planetary Candidate?
A: KOI stands for Kepler Object of Interest. KOIs are identifed from the list of TCEs for further study. Some KOIs will be classified as false positives, while others will be classified as planetary candidates. Starting with the analysis of quarter 1 to 12 data (Q1-12), the Kepler project is providing the community with the KOI list during the vetting process, so dispositions of a given KOI may change as more information is obtained or more analysis performed. For more information, including a list of all KOI tables, see the Kepler documentation list. The cumulative KOI table is available here.
How are Kepler numbers assigned?
A: Information on the assignment of Kepler numbers to confirmed or validated planets is available on the Kepler Numbers page. A list of all Kepler numbers and their corresponding KOI numbers is available as an interactive table.
Why are values for the KOI planetary radius (orbital period, etc) different between the confirmed planet table and the KOI table?
A: Parameter values in the confirmed planet table come from the published literature, while parameter values in the KOI table come from the Kepler pipeline. Therefore, KOIs which have been published as confirmed or validated planets often have different parameter values in these tables.
Why aren't all confirmed Kepler planets in the KOI table?
A: The KOI table is produced by the Kepler project based on the process described here. Some confirmed planets, for instance the circumbinary planets (such as Kepler 16), were identified outside of the Kepler project or by other means and are not in the KOI table. Confirmed or validated planets in published papers will be included in the confirmed planet table regardless of their status in the KOI table. A list of all Kepler numbers and their corresponding KOI numbers is available as an interactive table.
Can I create a custom transit ephemeris using the Transit Ephemeris Predictor?
A: Yes, it is possible to use your own planet parameters by selecting any existing object from either the "Transit and Ephemeris Predictor: All Confirmed Planets" or "Transit and Ephemeris Predictor: Kepler Objects of Interest" tables, linked to from the front page. This will take you to a form which you can customize by replacing any of the default values.
Last update: 2 January 2013
