squishyplanet
squishyplanet is a free Python package for modeling light curves and phase curves from non-spherical exoplanets.
What squishyplanet is
squishyplanet is a free Python package for modeling light curves and phase curves from non-spherical exoplanets. It models triaxial planets deformed by rotation or tidal forces and generates outputs that users can compare with data. Its OblateSystem class creates transit, eclipse, and phase-curve models for oblate planets. Users can supply coefficients for polynomial stellar limb-darkening profiles at any order, and oversample and integrate light curves to account for finite exposure times. Built on JAX, the package returns JAX arrays; its documentation links to jaxoplanet and starry for comparisons or implementation context. The documentation estimates transit-only calculations take tens of milliseconds and phase-curve evaluations hundreds of milliseconds, while noting that gradient-dependent methods such as HMC are likely impractical at present. JAX allows GPU or TPU execution, but the package is not optimized for GPUs and may run poorly there. Installation uses pip on Mac and Linux; Windows may require compatible JAX and jaxlib versions. The project is available under the MIT License, and maintainers invite questions and GitHub issue reports.
Good
- Models transit, eclipse, and phase curves for oblate planets.
- Supports user-supplied limb-darkening coefficients at arbitrary order.
- Accounts for finite exposure times through oversampling and integration.
- Free and available under the MIT License.
Watch out
- GPU use may perform poorly.
- Gradient-dependent methods such as HMC are likely impractical currently.
- Windows may require compatible JAX and jaxlib setup.
Who it suits
It suits researchers and other users modeling non-spherical exoplanet transits and related light curves, particularly when analyzing high-precision data.
Verdict
squishyplanet provides specialized light-curve modeling for non-spherical planets, with adjustable limb darkening and exposure correction. Consider its current performance limits and platform-specific installation needs before choosing it.
Plans and prices
From squishyplanet's own pricing page, checked 5 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| squishyplanet | Free | Python package · MIT License · install with pip |
The facts
Each one read from squishyplanet's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Audience
- The package is aimed at users modeling non-spherical exoplanet transits and related light curves, including researchers analyzing high-precision data.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Exposure correction
- Lightcurves can be oversampled and integrated to account for finite exposure times.checked 5 Oct 2026
- GPU limit
- Although it can run on GPUs or TPUs through JAX, it is not optimized for GPU use and may perform poorly there.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The package installs with pip on Mac and Linux; Windows installation may require setting up compatible JAX and jaxlib versions first.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Integration
- The package is built on JAX and returns JAX arrays; its documentation links to jaxoplanet and starry for comparisons or implementation context.checked 5 Oct 2026
- License
- The project is freely available under the MIT License.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Limb darkening
- It supports polynomial stellar limb-darkening profiles at arbitrary order, with coefficients supplied by the user.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Modeling
- It models triaxial exoplanets deformed by rotation or tidal forces and generates models for users to compare with data.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Performance limit
- The documentation estimates transit-only calculations at tens of milliseconds and phase-curve evaluations at hundreds of milliseconds, and says gradient-dependent methods such as HMC are likely impractical currently.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Primary interface
- The OblateSystem class generates transit, eclipse, and phase curve models for oblate planets.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- A lightweight Python package for producing lightcurves and phase curves of non-spherical exoplanets.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Support
- The maintainers ask users to report problems as GitHub issues and welcome questions to the maintainers.checked 5 Oct 2026
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