Posted on 01/30/2007 10:02:59 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Since 1995 more than 200 planets have been discovered outside our solar system. Most of these so-called "extrasolar" planets are Jupiter-size, and some are closer to their parent star than Mercury is to the sun. The Jupiter-size planets exert a gravitational tug on the parent star. That tug makes the star wobble slightly, revealing the presence of the unseen planet. The vast majority of extrasolar planets have been discovered by looking for that wobble. A handful of Jupiter-size planets also have been found using the transit technique that Kepler will employ. But Kepler will be the first mission capable of detecting the slight dimming of an Earth- size planet passing in front of its star, said Jack Lissauer of Ames, a member of the Kepler team. The amount of dimming caused by the transit of an Earth-size planet is comparable to a gnat flying in front of the car headlight, said Edna De Vore of California's SETI Institute... The first [challenge] was to create an ultra- stable telescope that could lock onto the same spot in space for four straight years... The second challenge was handling the flood of data Kepler will collect. The craft will carry the largest starlight-gathering mirror and the largest digital camera ever to fly in deep space.
(Excerpt) Read more at rockymountainnews.com ...
Snoopy!
I canine come up with a good reason not to.
ah, here it is:
Kepler Mirror Arrives at Ball Aerospace for Test and Integration
PRNewswire-FirstCall | August 8, 2006 | Ball Aerospace
Posted on 08/13/2006 9:29:03 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1683129/posts
Other Earths: Are They Out There ???
Source: space.com
Published: 23 Jan 01 Author: John G. Watson
Posted on 01/23/2001 14:30:11 PST by RightWhale
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3a6e05f34843.htm
and regarding Spitzer:
NASA Releases Dazzling Images from New Space Telescope
Cal Tech Space Infrared Telescope Facility | December 18, 2003
Posted on 12/20/2003 2:10:18 AM EST by concentric circles
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1043913/posts
Alien planet poised to reveal all its secrets [ TrES-2 ]
New Scientist | 8 September 2006 | David Shiga
Posted on 09/09/2006 12:01:24 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1698414/posts
Experts Examine Thread of Life In The Universe
www.space.com | 11 April 2005 | Leonard David
Posted on 04/12/2005 7:30:32 AM EDT by wingblade
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1381938/posts
30 Billion Earths? New Estimate of Exoplanets in Our Galaxy
Space.COM | 29 January 2002 | By Robert Roy Britt
Posted on 05/28/2002 8:33:19 PM EDT by vannrox
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/690929/posts
and:
8 posted on 09/27/2003 10:39:39 AM EDT by demlosers
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/990576/posts?page=8#8
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