The Kepler Mission: Looking for Earth-sized Worlds

[Windu Chi]

The link to the telescope Kepler Mission The Kepler Mission has a simple objective: find small planets around other stars - worlds like Earth that could possibly spawn life. It promises to be one of the most exciting astronomy projects of the coming decade. It is suppose to be launch sometime in 2007.
But, I doubt it given the present state of NASA.

Originally Posted by Seth Shostak

In the last half-dozen years, astronomers have made a remarkable discovery: roughly 5 - 10% of stars similar to the Sun have planets. They have observed this fraction of stars to periodically wobble in response to the orbital motion of unseen worlds. However, every one of the planets detected by this method is hefty, typically the size of Jupiter or larger. This preponderance of massive worlds is an inevitable consequence of the detection scheme: only large planets induce measurable wobbles.

Giant planets are fine, but the holy grail of planet detection is to find Earth-sized worlds and, better still, find those that are in the "habitable zone" of their star - at distances that would allow oceans to exist. The Kepler Mission will be able to do that, not by searching for wobbles, but by very accurately measuring the light from stars.

I want to know what are y'all opinions of the telescope finding Earth-size planets.
I think the chances are about est. 90%, since there are est. 200 billion stars in our galaxy.
So, the astrophysicists still have a lot of territory to cover, est. 7,854,000,000 sq. lightyears of galactic area to cover.
Also there is 20 billion est. Sol(Sun) type stars to search in that region of galactic area.

Here is a PDF link New Worlds Imager to a technical(lots of math equations) book of how astrophysicists search for planets with a space telescope called the New Worlds Imager.

[ET Warrior]

I have actually been well aware of the Kepler mission for almost two years now.

The Kepler mission's operations center will be the Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics.

I work at the Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics. I will be involved quite deeply with the launch and early operations of the mission, assuming it makes the estimated 2008 launch date.

To be honest I'm EXTREMELY excited for this mission. The very concept of it is fascinating, and I look forward to being involved with it.
Kepler's FOV

[Windu Chi]

Originally Posted by ET Warrior

I have actually been well aware of the Kepler mission for almost two years now.

The Kepler mission's operations center will be the Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics.

I work at the Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics. I will be involved quite deeply with the launch and early operations of the mission, assuming it makes the estimated 2008 launch date.

To be honest I'm EXTREMELY excited for this mission. The very concept of it is fascinating, and I look forward to being involved with it.
Kepler's FOV

Thanks, ET! For the Kepler field of view(FOV) link.
I will be glad when NASA get their ass in order and hurry up and start searching the Milky Way with the Kepler and the other telescopes they have in the planning, for other worlds that may have intelligent life on them.

[Tyrion]

Originally Posted by windu6

I will be glad when NASA get their ass in order and hurry up and start searching the Milky Way with the Kepler and the other telescopes they have in the planning, for other worlds that may have intelligent life on them.

I have two problems with the search for other intelligent life:

1. They could be more aggressive and violent than we are. If that is the case, God help us.

2. They could be more pacified and charitable than we are. If that is the case, God help them.

[Windu Chi]

Originally Posted by Tyrion

I have two problems with the search for other intelligent life:

1. They could be more aggressive and violent than we are. If that is the case, God help us.

2. They could be more pacified and charitable than we are. If that is the case, God help them.

You are too pessimistic for me, Tyrion.

[Dagobahn Eagle]

1. They could be more aggressive and violent than we are. [Tyrion, you have to admit that'd take a lot] If that is the case, God help us.

2. They could be more pacified and charitable than we are. If that is the case, God help them.

Intelligent life in space - let's find some intelligent life here first.

[Mace MacLeod]

Not really sure what there is to debate here. Oh well.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to seeing the data being made public from this mission. Man, I remember when just the idea of planets being around other stars was still just an idea. Now, they've found, what, hundreds of planets around other stars. Sure, they can really only detect gas giants and planets with enough mass to do that "wobbling" thing with the star nowadays, but it's really exciting to see the search for Earthlike planets starting in earnest.

[Windu Chi]

Originally Posted by Mace MacLeod

Not really sure what there is to debate here. Oh well.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to seeing the data being made public from this mission. Man, I remember when just the idea of planets being around other stars was still just an idea. Now, they've found, what, hundreds of planets around other stars. Sure, they can really only detect gas giants and planets with enough mass to do that "wobbling" thing with the star nowadays, but it's really exciting to see the search for Earthlike planets starting in earnest.

Do you think the telescope will find any Earth-sized planets, Mace?

[Mace MacLeod]

Sure. Why not? Billions of stars in the galaxy, billions of chances for Earthlike planets to form, right?

[Windu Chi]

Originally Posted by Mace MacLeod

Sure. Why not? Billions of stars in the galaxy, billions of chances for Earthlike planets to form, right?

Right !

[Emperor Devon]

It would be impossible if there weren't any. Discounting our own galaxy, there are who knows how many other ones out there.

[Windu Chi]

Originally Posted by Emperor Devon

It would be impossible if there weren't any. Discounting our own galaxy, there are who knows how many other ones out there.

I didn't figure you will be interested in the rest of the universe, Devon.

[Emperor Devon]

That was presumptuous, as I've never said that.

[igyman]

I haven't heard of this mission until now, but I do think it's a great thing and I hope it produces results. It was about time humanity got moving when space exploration is concerned.