A&A 532, A79 (2011) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201116713 & c ESO 2011 Astrophysics Defining and cataloging exoplanets: the exoplanet.eu database J. Schneider1,C.Dedieu2,P.LeSidaner2,R.Savalle2, and I. Zolotukhin2,3,4 1 Observatoire de Paris, LUTh-CNRS, UMR 8102, 92190 Meudon, France e-mail:
[email protected] 2 Observatoire de Paris, Division Informatique de l’Observatoire, VO-Paris Data Centre, UMS2201 CNRS/INSU, France 3 Observatoire de Paris, LERMA, UMR 8112, 61 Av. de l’Observatoire, 75014 Paris, France 4 Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow State University, 13 Universitetsky prospect, Moscow 119992, Russia Received 14 February 2011 / Accepted 6 June 2011 ABSTRACT We describe an online database for extrasolar planetary-mass candidates, which is updated regularly as new data are available. We first discuss criteria for inclusion of objects in the catalog: “definition” of a planet and several aspects of the confidence level of planet candidates. We are led to point out the contradiction between the sharpness of criteria for belonging to a catalog and the fuzziness of the confidence level for an object to be a planet. We then describe the different tables of extrasolar planetary systems, including unconfirmed candidates (which will ultimately be confirmed, or not, by direct imaging). It also provides online tools: histograms of planet and host star data, cross-correlations between these parameters, and some Virtual Observatory services. Future evolutions of the database are presented. Key words. catalogs – virtual observatory tools – planetary systems – planets and satellites: detection – planets and satellites: fundamental parameters 1. Introduction the confirmation of the first pulsar planets (Wolszczan 1994)2.It was followed some years later by the California and Carnegie The study of extrasolar planetary systems has become a very Planet Search table at http://exoplanets.org/planet_ active field that will grow continuously in the coming years and table.shtml (Butler et al.