Observations of Exocomets
(2026) In Space Science Reviews 222(4).- Abstract
Active small bodies in extrasolar systems, the extrasolar analogues of Solar System comets, provide insights into the orbital evolution and physical processes shaping planetary systems. Since the discovery of exocomets around β Pictoris, these small, icy bodies have shown the potential to become key probes for understanding planetary formation and migration. This review presents an overview of current observational techniques used to detect exocomets, focusing on individual systems and large-scale searches. We discuss photometric methods that identify exocomet transits through asymmetric light curves and spectroscopic techniques revealing cometary gases via time-variable absorption lines. Despite progress, significant open questions... (More)
Active small bodies in extrasolar systems, the extrasolar analogues of Solar System comets, provide insights into the orbital evolution and physical processes shaping planetary systems. Since the discovery of exocomets around β Pictoris, these small, icy bodies have shown the potential to become key probes for understanding planetary formation and migration. This review presents an overview of current observational techniques used to detect exocomets, focusing on individual systems and large-scale searches. We discuss photometric methods that identify exocomet transits through asymmetric light curves and spectroscopic techniques revealing cometary gases via time-variable absorption lines. Despite progress, significant open questions remain regarding the physical properties, occurrence rates, and similarities between exocomets and their Solar System counterparts. This review explores future opportunities in observational exocomet research, highlighting advancements required to further our understanding of these active small bodies and their role in the context of planetary system evolution.
(Less)
- author
- Korth, Judith LU ; Norazman, Azib ; Bendahan-West, Raphaël ; Kennedy, Grant ; Madurga Favieres, Cristina ; Iglesias, Daniela ; Shubina, Olena ; Xu, Siyi and Roth, Nathan X.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-06
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Exocomets, Photometry, Spectroscopy
- in
- Space Science Reviews
- volume
- 222
- issue
- 4
- article number
- 41
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105037939833
- pmid:42079426
- ISSN
- 0038-6308
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11214-026-01300-y
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 4cc08af6-6865-4f89-a28b-21578a76ae78
- date added to LUP
- 2026-07-10 09:56:10
- date last changed
- 2026-09-18 15:43:07
@article{4cc08af6-6865-4f89-a28b-21578a76ae78,
abstract = {{<p>Active small bodies in extrasolar systems, the extrasolar analogues of Solar System comets, provide insights into the orbital evolution and physical processes shaping planetary systems. Since the discovery of exocomets around β Pictoris, these small, icy bodies have shown the potential to become key probes for understanding planetary formation and migration. This review presents an overview of current observational techniques used to detect exocomets, focusing on individual systems and large-scale searches. We discuss photometric methods that identify exocomet transits through asymmetric light curves and spectroscopic techniques revealing cometary gases via time-variable absorption lines. Despite progress, significant open questions remain regarding the physical properties, occurrence rates, and similarities between exocomets and their Solar System counterparts. This review explores future opportunities in observational exocomet research, highlighting advancements required to further our understanding of these active small bodies and their role in the context of planetary system evolution.</p>}},
author = {{Korth, Judith and Norazman, Azib and Bendahan-West, Raphaël and Kennedy, Grant and Madurga Favieres, Cristina and Iglesias, Daniela and Shubina, Olena and Xu, Siyi and Roth, Nathan X.}},
issn = {{0038-6308}},
keywords = {{Exocomets; Photometry; Spectroscopy}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{Space Science Reviews}},
title = {{Observations of Exocomets}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11214-026-01300-y}},
doi = {{10.1007/s11214-026-01300-y}},
volume = {{222}},
year = {{2026}},
}