Kepler Probe spots smallest planet yet discovered outside Sun's solar system

[rodsky]

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NASA spots smallest planet yet discovered outside Sun's solar system - CNN.com

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

* The object is the first rocky planet discovered by NASA's Kepler spacecraft
* The discovery has scientists optimistic about what else could be found
* Kepler is capable of finding Earth-size planets in a habitable zone, NASA says

Artist's impression (take note ha, impression or painting lang, DILI NI PICTURE sa actual planet, imagination lang ni sa artist based on data gathered by the Kepler Probe) of Kepler-10B.


(CNN) -- A NASA spacecraft has detected a rocky planet that is the smallest ever discovered outside the Sun's solar system, the agency announced Monday.

The exoplanet -- so named because it orbits a star other than the Sun -- has been dubbed Kepler-10b. It measures 1.4 times the Earth's diameter and was confirmed after more than eight months of data collection, the agency said. It is the first rocky, or Earth-like, planet discovered by Kepler.

"All of Kepler's best capabilities have converged to yield the first solid evidence of a rocky planet orbiting a star other than our sun," said Natalie Batalha, deputy science team leader for the NASA mission. "The Kepler team made a commitment in 2010 about finding the telltale signatures of small planets in the data, and it's beginning to pay off."

Kepler-10b's size and rocky composition would make it more likely than gaseous planets to contain liquid water, and perhaps life of some kind, if it were the right distance from its star, NASA said. However, it is much too close to the star -- 20 times closer than Mercury is to the Sun.

Kepler-10b's star is about 560 light years from Earth, according to NASA.

Still, the discovery has scientists optimistic about what else Kepler might be able to reveal.

"Although this planet is not in the habitable zone, the exciting find showcases the kinds of discoveries made possible by the mission and the promise of many more to come," said Kepler program scientist Douglas Hudgins.

The mission is the agency's first capable of finding Earth-size planets near the habitable zone, or the distance from a star where a planet can maintain liquid water and potential life.

The spacecraft measures size and other details by noting the tiny decrease in a star's brightness that occurs when a planet crosses in front of it.

The Kepler Probe.


-RODION

[malic_2]

I believe that this discovery will lead to more discoveries of planets. unsa nga star ni Rodsky ang iyang gi orbit?

[rodsky]

unsa nga star ni Rodsky ang iyang gi orbit?

The name of the star that it orbits is Kepler 10.

-RODION

[malic_2]

The name of the star that it orbits is Kepler 10.

-RODION

oh I thought kepler 10 is the name of the planet.

[rodsky]

oh I thought kepler 10 is the name of the planet.

Star = Kepler-10

Planet = Kepler-10B

Clear?

-RODION

[malic_2]

Star = Kepler-10

Planet = Kepler-10B

Clear?

-RODION

sure. i didn't see the b awhile ago while reading the article.

are you an AMATEUR astronomer? what do we call you?

[rodsky]

sure. i didn't see the b awhile ago while reading the article.

are you an AMATEUR astronomer? what do we call you?

Yes I'm an amateur astronomer.

Amateur astronomy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Christopher Go, from Cebu City, who discovered Red Spot Jr, on the planet Jupiter in February 24, 2006, is also an amateur astronomer. Atmosphere of Jupiter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

-RODION

[ferma2]

What apparatus are you using master rod?? I only have a binoculars at home. Can't see much with it.

[rodsky]

What apparatus are you using master rod?? I only have a binoculars at home. Can't see much with it.

I used to have access to a 4.5" Dobsonian reflector that I helped build, but that was back in Mindanao. Here in Cebu I only have my 7x50 binoculars, I really have very little time to observe anyways, and I can't invest on a large aperture telescope because I don't have a vehicle--if you don't own your own vehicle, it's difficult to transport your scope to areas where there is little light pollution.

And stop calling me "master"--I'm not.

UPDATE: "Where is Kepler-10 and Kepler-10B?"

Nice animation to show the location of Kepler-10, it's just above Constellation Cygnus, the Swan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZJNsdM0hck

-RODION

[cromagnon]

I have a question rodsky .. if we blow a planet with an bomb strong enough to change its orbit for example like the mars or this kepler 10 b ...

blowing the planet off and change its orbit jus enought to make it in the perfect goldilocks zone ...

might be enough temperature to melt or condense hydrogen etch to create at least a lil ocean ...

do u think u think we can do that blowing palnets out .. if we already have the technology??