How do scientists find planets around other stars?

The answer

The transit method, used by the Kepler and TESS space telescopes, detects exoplanets by measuring the tiny dip in a star's brightness when a planet passes in front of it. The radial velocity method detects the slight wobble a planet's gravity induces in its host star. Direct imaging captures actual photos of planets, but only the largest and most distant ones. As of 2025, over 6,000 exoplanets have been confirmed, with thousands more candidates awaiting verification. These discoveries have shown that planets are far more common and diverse than anyone imagined.