In the two decades since the first exoplanet discoveries, astronomers have catalogued over 5,000 confirmed worlds orbiting distant stars. Yet accessing this treasure trove of data has remained frustratingly fragmented across different archives and formats. The Open Exoplanet Catalogue changes that by creating the most comprehensive, up-to-date database of all discovered extra-solar planets, typically adding new worlds within 24 hours of their scientific announcement.
Built with Python and distributed as structured XML data, this repository provides seamless programmatic access to planetary parameters including mass, radius, orbital period, host star properties, and discovery methods. Whether you’re hunting for circumbinary planets orbiting double stars, analyzing the mass-radius relationship of super-Earths, or mapping the galactic distribution of planetary systems, the catalogue’s elegant API makes complex queries surprisingly simple. The data syncs with NASA’s Exoplanet Archive while maintaining faster update cycles for high-profile discoveries.
From graduate students conducting statistical studies of planetary populations to mission planners selecting targets for the James Webb Space Telescope, this open-source catalogue has become an essential tool for the exoplanet research community. Its MIT license and community-driven approach ensure that humanity’s growing census of alien worlds remains freely accessible to anyone curious about our place in a galaxy teeming with planets.
⭐ Stars: 1081
💻 Language: Python
🔗 Repository: OpenExoplanetCatalogue/open_exoplanet_catalogue