Astronomy & Astrophysics manuscript no. exo.eu-AA-rev-Jun07 May 21, 2018 (DOI: will be inserted by hand later) Defining and cataloging exoplanets: The exoplanet.eu database J. Schneider1, C. Dedieu2, P. Le Sidaner2, R. Savalle2, and I. Zolotukhin234 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 ; accepted Abstract. We describe an online database for extra-solar planetary-mass candidates, updated regularly as new data are available. We first discuss criteria for the 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 conflict between sharpness of belonging or not to a catalogue and fuzziness of the confidence level. We then describe the different tables of extra-solar planetary systems, including unconfirmed candidates (which will ultimately be confirmed, or not, by direct imaging). It also provides online tools: histogrammes of planet and host star data, cross-correlations between these parameters and some VO services. Future evolutions of the database are presented. Key words. Stars: planetary systems { online catalogue { Extrasolar planet 1. Introduction database. In section 3 we discuss criteria for the inclusion of objects in the catalogue. In section 4 we give the de- The study of extrasolar planetary systems has become a tailed content of the catalogue.