Moontanman Posted March 4, 2009 Report Posted March 4, 2009 Are You Out There, ET? Searches for Habitable Planets Are About to Get a BoostA Q&A with stellar and planetary scientist Alan Boss about the holy grail of extrasolar planet research--finding Earth-like planetsBy John Matson Next week brings a milestone in the search for extraterrestrial life with the scheduled launch Friday of NASA's Kepler satellite. The mission, named for 16th- and 17th-century German astronomer Johannes Kepler, will study a group of stars for three-plus years in search of subtle, periodic dips in stellar brightness—the telltale signs of planetary orbits. Although more than 300 planets outside the solar system have already been found using this method, among other techniques, Kepler's strength will lie in its instruments' sensitivity to smaller, cooler planets more hospitable to life and more like our own. Are You Out There, ET? Searches for Habitable Planets Are About to Get a Boost: Scientific American Quote
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