NASA's Keppler Mission

by NomadSoul 9 Replies latest social current

  • NomadSoul
    NomadSoul

    I've been following up with this mission since it started. The only thing I can not find an answer to is how they decide what portion of the sky it's pointed at. My guess would be better visibility or any logical factors. But I can not find any information on this not even on their website.

    The reason why I want to know is why we're not scanning towards the Centauri system. That is the most logical choice in my opinion. I sent them an e-mail asking for an answer a year ago but no e-mail back. lol

    Do any of you work for NASA so I can go to sleep at night?

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    The search space is quite small, according to their webste. http://kepler.nasa.gov/Mission/QuickGuide/. The criteria they used to point seems to be geared to "sample size" (more than 10,000 stars), rather than proximity. The Kepler mission also has a Facebook page. You could ask your question again there.

  • NomadSoul
    NomadSoul

    I know they have their criteria and their sky survey. I just wish they would post the sky survey for the Centauri system. Because If I'm not mistaken, the area when Centauri is located is opposite from the area they are scanning. (Meaning it's on the South). Which in my limited knowledge I would think the criteria would be the same!

    I'm just a bit dissapointed because when they were talking about this project a few years back, some even mentioned scanning the Centauri system.

    I guess I'm going to have to wait for the Webb Telescope.

  • darthfader
    darthfader

    Yeah, the Centauri system is pretty close. From what I understood they wanted a better sample set of "nearby" stars. I think everything else within the sample window around the Centauri system is much further out and a bit more sparsly populated.

    I really hope we get the ability to directly image exoplanets soon. It would be wonderful to really see what's our there.

    cheers

  • kurtbethel
    kurtbethel
  • NomadSoul
    NomadSoul

    Well hopefully the Webb Telescope can get a closer look.

  • kurtbethel
    kurtbethel
  • Heaven
    Heaven

    Not sure if this was posted already but just wondering if you guys saw this:

    NASA finds habitable planet – Kepler-186f – but don’t pack just yet

    http://voices.suntimes.com/news/breaking-news/nasa-finds-habitable-planet-but-dont-pack-just-yet/#.U1DlEqAauCl

    Kepler186f

  • prologos
    prologos

    The kepler mssion casts a wider net.

    For the closest stars. like Centauri alpha the 'eclipsing disk' method could be used to BLOCK TOTALLY, or annull the glare of the central star, to actually see, analize the planetary or dust disk. By contrast,

    Kepler tries to find the result of a very SMALL disk in front of stars, a transiting planet, measure portion of the star's light blocked, the duration, so:

    dont pack your bags for the NEAREST star yet, the journey will be longer. even the wait. better to just keep watching.

    It will get interesting when they start analizing the exo-planet's STAR'S* pulsations, other characteristics, and compared it to the Sun's for similarities, because

    our star is the only one we know that allowed life to evolve, and as the biggest influence on all the planets here, at least some common trait should be shared by stars that have the potential for such development.

    *part of the Kepler 'mission statement's is:-- to identify areas of research required to study the STARS of these exo-planet systems.

  • prologos
    prologos

    Today this story, picture from HEAVEN* is on APOD. it mentiones a smaller 'sun', which means a longer burning star, outliving our Sun.

    it is only 500 light years away, a mere moment in your life if it is eternal. (as promised by WT writers)

    * fitting double entendre

    Nomad, why do you call him Keppler? rather than Kepler?

    wait until the Webb mission, they will look perhaps at this and the centauri twins.

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