CoRoT: Stellar Observation Log for Exoplanet Detection

A 6-year mission from 2006 to 2012, the CoRoT satellite performed ultra-high-precision photometry on over 160,000 stars to detect exoplanet transits and study stellar variability. The dataset is an observation log for the 'faint star mode' targets, led by CNES with international partners. Observations were conducted in two specific regions of the sky, with data collection lasting up to 150 days per target.

Use Cases

• Detecting exoplanet transits based on the described ultra-high-precision photometry of faint stars.
• Studying stellar oscillations and rotation (asteroseismology) based on the mission's focus on luminosity variability.
• Analyzing long-duration stellar activity patterns based on observations lasting up to 150 days.
• Training models for rare event detection based on the search for infrequent planetary transits.

Strengths

• Observations were conducted with photometric accuracy 100 times better than ground-based measurements.
• Data covers over 160,000 stars observed during the mission's 6-year operational lifetime.
• A very high duty cycle of more than 90% for continuous monitoring.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data collection ended abruptly in 2012; temporal coverage is historical.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), via the HEASARC archive.

Collection Method

Space-based photometric observations from the CoRoT satellite instrument.

Time Range

2006 to 2012.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 19:41:08.846693; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Observations limited to two specific sky regions ('eyes') centered on the celestial equator.