Kepler preparation progress

Subject: Re: Kepler preparation progress 8th March 2009, 6:49 pm

I don't know if I've heard right, but today I was watching TV news: they were talking about Kepler mission and about an extrasolar Earth-sized (or Earth-like?) that it should be anounced within Friday.

I hope to have heard right. Rolling Eyes

Subject: Re: Kepler preparation progress 9th March 2009, 3:23 pm

Kepler PV is sun oriented and working just fine.

It has also now flown past the orbit of the moon Shocked

and is now approx 412,000 klicks away.

Faster than Apollo.

Subject: Re: Kepler preparation progress 9th March 2009, 7:42 pm

TheoA wrote:: Faster than Apollo.

Because it weighs a lot less too, Razz

Do you know when Kepler is supposed to open up and start observing?

And by the way, Thanks, TheoA, for keeping us updated Very Happy

Edasich wrote:: I don't know if I've heard right, but today I was watching TV news:
they were talking about Kepler mission and about an extrasolar
Earth-sized (or Earth-like?) that it should be anounced within Friday.

You have most certainly not heard right.
Don't expect results immediately, first Kepler has got to find photometric variations, and then follow-up RV surveys need to confirm them. Don't expect Earths for a while.

If Kepler churns out a single hot Jupiter within a month from now, I will be pleased. Not because I have low expectations from this mission... but because it just launched.

_________________
Caps Lock: Cruise control for 'Cool'!

Subject: Re: Kepler preparation progress 10th March 2009, 4:04 am

Dust cover has been opened.

Photometer initiation underway. Initiation was complete no issues.

Initiation Data acquisition underway.

Subject: Re: Kepler preparation progress 10th March 2009, 6:43 am

Quote :: You have most certainly not heard right.
Don't expect results immediately, first Kepler has got to find photometric variations, and then follow-up RV surveys need to confirm them. Don't expect Earths for a while.

Well, this information came after the Kepler mission news. If it's real, it may come from another survey (HARPS?).
However I'm waiting for Friday, in order to retract false news. Rolling Eyes

Subject: Re: Kepler preparation progress 10th March 2009, 2:04 pm

I say, no earlier than 3 months...

_________________
Thanks,
CarpD (^_^)

Subject: Re: Kepler preparation progress 10th March 2009, 2:20 pm

And I say, HARPS perhaps. *bad pun*

I'm aware if there's a planet to be anounced, it cannot come from freshly launched Kepler. Razz

On the other hand there were hints of a mysterious Earth-sized planet (around 4 Earth masses) laying within the habitable zone to be confirmed in some conference or something. Rolling Eyes

Subject: Re: Kepler preparation progress 10th March 2009, 4:13 pm

Yeah I heard about such a planet from the HARPS GTO survey, too. I'll bet Kepler will find more terrestrial planets than HARPS can ever dream of =P Razz

_________________
Caps Lock: Cruise control for 'Cool'!

Subject: Re: Kepler preparation progress 12th March 2009, 8:44 pm

Communication antennas being turned on and tested.

Cover closed.

Another ~45 days before science data is collected.

Telescope performs flawlessly.

» Kepler-1647 b / KOI-2939 b : the largest and longest-period Kepler transiting circumbinary
» Kepler-10: Kepler's first confirmed solid super-Earth in a 2-planet system
» Kepler-41: Exquisite Kepler Photometric characterisation of a hot Jupiter
» James Webb Space Telescope Progress
» Kepler 4b - 8b: First Planets from Kepler