Comments on: After a Flawless Launch, Kepler Telescope Gets Ready for Planet Hunting

By: Georgia

Georgia — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:15:21 +0000

The goals of the Kepler mission:
1.Determine the percentage of terrestrial and larger planets there are in or near the habitable zone of a wide variety of stars;

2.Determine the distribution of sizes and shapes of the orbits of these planets;

3.Estimate how many planets there are in multiple-star systems;
Determine the variety of orbit sizes and planet reflectivities, sizes, masses and densities of short-period giant planets;

4.Identify additional members of each discovered planetary system using other techniques; and

5.Determine the properties of those stars that harbor planetary systems.

By: Nelson Thompson

Nelson Thompson — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:21:34 +0000

Steisin,
you are correct! It is very unlikely that all stars have their planets in the same plane. Or even close. But Kepler will tell us if they do. If we assume that orbital planes are “random” around other stars, then those planets have about a one half percent chance of being situated so that they come BETWEEN their star and Kepler’s camera. So, out of 200,000 stars being examined by Kepler, if ALL of them actually do have planets, Kepler should detect planets around ~1,000 stars.

By: Steisin

Steisin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:16:22 +0000

I have a question about this pls ?
I suppose that the planet’s orbit around it’s star must be IN-LINE with the Kepler’s camera to be able to detect it ?
So what if the orbit is perpendicular, or any other angle out-of-line with Keppler ?
It would miss all those planets eh ?
Or am I wrong, do all planets orbit in one plane only ?

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:05:39 +0000

Opaque to which wavelengths of light? They all pass through different materials. You also must not forget about the refractive properties of light, which cause it to bend around the edges of any material like waves – if your reflector is too small relative to the size of our star and where we are broadcasting to, the light will spread out around the reflector and the signal will be lost to interference.

Honestly, I’d rather have the 95 megapixel camera… My 10 just ain’t cutting it anymore.

By: UncleAl

UncleAl — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:35:32 +0000

SETI! Orbit a string of opaque reflectors about your star. The patterned modulation then broadcasts your message to a suitably enabled universe (orbital belt plus reflection angle – directional and steerable) without further expenditure. 31415 would do it, a mere 14 panels.