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NASA Exoplanet Archive Scraper

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NASA Exoplanet Archive Scraper

NASA Exoplanet Archive Scraper

Scrapes confirmed exoplanet data from the NASA Exoplanet Archive. Returns each exoplanet as a flat row with orbital period, radius, mass, discovery method, and host star details.

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from $7.50 / 1,000 results

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ParseForge

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NASA Exoplanet Archive Scraper

Scrape NASA Exoplanet Archive data for any confirmed planet, up to a million rows per run. Each row includes orbital period, radius, mass, discovery method, and host star details. No API key or login. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

The NASA Exoplanet Archive is the authoritative catalog of confirmed exoplanets, but its web interface and TAP service require manual queries or code. This Actor reads the archive directly, applies your ADQL where clause, and returns each matching exoplanet as a flat row. You get the same data scientists use, without writing a single query.

Who uses itWhat they scrape NASA Exoplanet Archive for
Astronomy researchersBuilding a clean dataset of exoplanets for statistical analysis
Science journalistsFinding recently discovered exoplanets for a story
EducatorsCreating a classroom dataset of confirmed exoplanets
Data analystsEnriching a project with up-to-date exoplanet parameters

What it does

This Actor collects exoplanet records from the NASA Exoplanet Archive based on your optional ADQL where clause and returns each one as a flat row.

  • 🔭 Direct archive access: reads the NASA Exoplanet Archive TAP service, no API key or registration.
  • 📊 Flat row output: every exoplanet becomes one row with consistent columns for easy import.
  • 🧮 ADQL filtering: pass a where clause like disc_year > 2020 to get only recent discoveries.
  • 📦 Bulk export: collect up to 1,000,000 exoplanets per run and export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

What you can do with NASA Exoplanet Archive data

🔭 Track new exoplanet discoveries.

A researcher runs the Actor weekly with disc_year > 2023 to get every newly confirmed exoplanet for a monitoring dashboard.

📊 Build a research dataset.

An astronomy student collects all exoplanets with known radii and masses to study the radius-mass relation.

🌍 Find potentially habitable planets.

A science writer filters for planets in the habitable zone to compile a list of Earth-like candidates.

🏫 Create teaching materials.

An educator downloads a curated set of exoplanets for a classroom exercise on data analysis.

Why choose this scraper

What you get
No API keyThe NASA Exoplanet Archive TAP service is public and requires no authentication.
Up-to-dateEvery run pulls the latest confirmed exoplanet records from the archive.
Flexible filteringUse standard ADQL to filter by discovery year, method, host star, or any archive column.
ScalableCollect from 1 to 1,000,000 exoplanets in a single run.

How it compares

This Actor focuses on raw, unfiltered access to the NASA Exoplanet Archive with ADQL filtering, while the competitors offer pre-built search options or a simpler field set.

FeatureParseForgeNASA Exoplanet Archive ScraperNasa Exoplanet Scraper
ADQL where clause filteringYesNot listedNot listed
Search by host starYes, via where clauseYesNot listed
Filter by discovery methodYes, via where clauseYesNot listed
Find potentially habitable planetsYes, via where clause on orbital period or fluxYesNot listed
Orbital periods, radii, massesYesNot listedYes
No API key requiredYesYesYes

Configure the run

Drive the Actor with an optional ADQL where clause and a maximum item count. The where clause is forwarded to the archive so only matching exoplanets reach your dataset. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

{
"maxItems": 10
}

A larger pull:

{
"maxItems": 200
}

Pricing

Pay-per-result: $0.0085 per result collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

Results collectedApproximate cost
100 results$0.85
1,000 results$8.50
10,000 results$85.00

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. Upgrade your Apify plan to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

Run it

  1. Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit.
  2. Open the NASA Exoplanet Archive Scraper.
  3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click Start.
  4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the Dataset tab.

Run it programmatically through the Apify API (run-sync-get-dataset-items) or the ApifyClient for JavaScript and Python.

Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to NASA Exoplanet Archive through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

$claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=parseforge/nasa-exoplanets-scraper"

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

Troubleshooting

Why am I getting no results?

Your where clause may be too restrictive or contain a syntax error. Try removing the where clause and setting a small maxItems to confirm the Actor works, then refine your filter.

The run fails with a TAP error.

Check your ADQL syntax. Column names must match the archive's schema exactly. Refer to the NASA Exoplanet Archive documentation for valid column names.

I got fewer results than maxItems.

That means the archive returned fewer matching exoplanets than your limit. Your where clause may be filtering out most records.

The dataset has unexpected columns.

The Actor returns the archive's default column set. If you need additional columns, contact support to request a custom field list.

FAQ

QuestionAnswer
Do I need an API key for the NASA Exoplanet Archive?No. The archive's TAP service is public and requires no authentication. This Actor uses that public endpoint.
What is an ADQL where clause?ADQL is the Astronomical Data Query Language, similar to SQL. You can write conditions like disc_year > 2020 or pl_orbper < 10 to filter exoplanets.
How many exoplanets can I scrape in one run?You can set maxItems from 1 to 1,000,000. The Actor will stop after collecting that many matching records.
What columns are returned for each exoplanet?The Actor returns the standard columns from the archive's confirmed planets table, including planet name, host star, orbital period, radius, mass, discovery method, and discovery year.
Can I filter by host star name?Yes. Use a where clause like hostname = 'Kepler-186' to get only planets around that star.
Can I get only potentially habitable exoplanets?The archive does not have a single habitable flag, but you can filter on orbital period or stellar flux using ADQL to approximate the habitable zone.
Is the data from the NASA Exoplanet Archive free to use?Yes. NASA Exoplanet Archive data is public domain and can be used for research, education, or commercial projects.
What export formats are supported?You can export the results as CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML from the Apify dataset.
How often is the archive updated?The NASA Exoplanet Archive is updated regularly as new exoplanets are confirmed. Each run of this Actor fetches the latest data.
Can I schedule this Actor to run automatically?Yes. Use Apify's scheduler to run it daily, weekly, or on any cron schedule.

Browse the full ParseForge collection for more scrapers.

🆘 Need help? Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ Disclaimer. This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NASA Exoplanet Science Institute. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.