The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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Transiting exoplanets are detected as they pass in front of – transit – their host star, causing a dip in the starlight as seen from the observer’s viewpoint. The transit repeats, with the time interval depending on the time it takes the exoplanet to orbit its star. For example, an observer of our own Solar System would have to wait a year to see a repeat of Earth transiting the Sun.