Extrasolar planets : detection methods and observational campaigns

Abstract

The universe is vast and it contains hundreds of billions of galaxies, which still remains unexplored. Each of these galaxies have unexplored planetary systems with interesting planets that awaits to be discovered. Planets that are orbiting another star than the Sun, are called exoplanets. Similarly to planets orbiting the Sun, exoplanets differ from each other in size and composition. Exoplanet observation requires different techniques, which can be divided into direct and indirect methods.

Indirect detection methods utilizes exoplanet’s host star, because exoplanets are much harder to detect directly compared to their host stars. Most of the known exoplanets are found using indirect methods such as transit photometry or doppler technique. In the beginning most of the exoplanets were observed from the ground, but as detection methods has been improved and space campaigns has been launched, number of known exoplanets has dramatically increased.

This thesis reviews detection methods of exoplanets and some of the observational campaigns.