Viewing an Exoplanet Transmission Spectrum

  • Released Tuesday, January 20, 2026
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When planets orbiting distant stars are aligned just right, a host star's light can pass through its planet's atmosphere before reaching our telescopes. This alters the light, and by analyzing its spectrum, astronomers can find out what the planet’s atmosphere is made of. This animation is a quick visual representation of that process.

This animated artist's concept visualizes a gas-giant exoplanet passing in front of its host star. By studying light filtered through a planet's atmosphere, astronomers can detect elements and compounds the atmosphere contains.

This animated artist's concept visualizes a water world passing in front of its host star. By studying light filtered through a planet's atmosphere, astronomers can detect elements and compounds the atmosphere contains.

This animated, vertically-formatted artist's concept visualizes a blue gas-giant exoplanet passing in front of its host star. By studying light filtered through a planet's atmosphere, astronomers can detect elements and compounds the atmosphere contains.

Credits

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NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

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This page was originally published on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
This page was last updated on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at 10:38 AM EST.