Curiosity, discovery, and sharing what we learn
An educational project created by Michelle Sebastian to help students explore worlds beyond our solar system. Using real NASA Exoplanet Archive data, it turns astronomical measurements into questions you can investigate for yourself.
Meet the creator
I developed Exoplanet Explorer to make NASA’s exoplanet data easier to explore and understand for high school students and amateur astronomy enthusiasts. Through interactive tools and plain-language explanations, the site helps visitors compare distant worlds, investigate how they were discovered, and understand what the measurements tell us. My goal is to make astronomy more approachable and encourage others to ask their own questions.
I'm a senior at Simi Valley High School, and I've been fascinated by astronomy since third grade. My teacher, Mrs. Bartholomew, sparked a curiosity about the stars that has stayed with me ever since. She would dismiss class by saying, “Keep looking up.” So I did.
That curiosity has led me to astronomy courses, communities like the Ventura County Astronomical Society (VCAS) and the Astronomical League, and research on star clusters. I enjoy asking questions, working with data, and finding ways to share what I learn.
Explore my research ↓Wonder And Why · My educational channel
On Wonder And Why, I explore the questions that make science exciting—from the cosmic origins of elements such as gold and platinum to our own connection with the stars.
From questions to evidence
What determines the size of a star cluster? My research examines how cluster mass, age, and the star-forming activity of the host galaxy relate to cluster radius. It has been an opportunity to test ideas against observations and learn from results that challenge an initial hypothesis.
Research preprint · arXiv
Using 5,105 star clusters from the LEGUS survey, I compared predictions based on cluster mass alone with predictions that also considered a cluster's age and how actively its galaxy forms stars. Adding those factors did not make the size predictions more accurate, and much of the variation in cluster size remained unexplained.
Read the preprint on arXiv ↗Recognition
I was named a finalist for the Astronomical League's National Young Astronomer Award (NYAA).
Read the award coverage ↗Compare planets, investigate possible habitability, or examine the signals astronomers use to find distant worlds.