Planet Characterization Research at STScI

Characterization of the planetary atmospheres, compositions, and physical properties, enabling future breakthrough discoveries.

Extrasolar Planetary Systems Imaging Group (EPSIG)

The Extrasolar Planetary Systems Imaging Group (EPSIG) is a group of staff, postdocs, and students at STScI, JHU, and other institutions that work collectively to image planetary systems and circumstellar disks.

Exoplanet Characterization Tool Kit (ExoCTK)

ExoCTK (the Exoplanet Characterization Tool Kit) is an open-source, modular, data analysis software package focused primarily on atmospheric characterization of exoplanets and observation planning. This web application runs the most recent available version of ExoCTK through this web portal designed to single out the most useful tools for observation planning, forward modeling, data reduction, limb darkening, light curve fitting, and retrievals.

Exo.MAST

Exo.MAST is a handy search engine for exoplanets linked to the MAST data archive at STScI, including Kepler, K2, HST, and TESS observations, and in the future JWST. In one easy search users can find any confirmed exoplanet and see all of their parameters, what observations have been taken and measurements have been made, and download all the connected data through the MAST archive.

Planetary Atmospheres Lab

The Planetary Atmospheres Lab is a Johns Hopkins-hosted lab led by Sara Hörst to simulate planetary environments with the goal of expanding our understanding of the atmospheric properties of solar system planets and moons (like Titan and Europa), early earth, and exoplanets.

Institute for Planets and Life

The Institute for Planets and Life is a highly interdisciplinary team of scientists that also include members of Johns Hopkins University and the Applied Physics Laboratory that combine their expertise to address fundamental questions about the origins, evolution, and prevalence of life in the universe.