2010/01/26 by David G. Koch, William J. Borucki, Gibor Basri +47 · 21 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Circumstellar habitable zone #Exoplanet #Kepler #Photometry (optics) #Planet #Planetary habitability #Scientific Research and Discoveries #Stars #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Transit (satellite) #astro-ph.EP #astro-ph.IM
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/2041-8205/713/2/l79
16 pages, 5 figures, 1 table 26 Jan revision replaced Subject headings with keywords from approved list
arxiv created 2010/01/26 · openalex publication_date 2010/03/30 · arxiv updated 2015/05/14 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The Kepler Mission , launched on 2009 March 6, was designed with the explicit capability to detect Earth-size planets in the habitable zone of solar-like stars using the transit photometry method. Results from just 43 days of data along with ground-based follow-up observations have identified five new transiting planets with measurements of their masses, radii, and orbital periods. Many aspects of stellar astrophysics also benefit from the unique, precise, extended, and nearly continuous data set for a large number and variety of stars. Early results for classical variables and eclipsing stars show great promise. To fully understand the methodology, processes, and eventually the results from the mission, we present the underlying rationale that ultimately led to the flight and ground system designs used to achieve the exquisite photometric performance. As an example of the initial photometric results, we present variability measurements that can be used to distinguish dwarf stars from red giants.