The Unique System of Kepler 11

NASA describes Kepler as their first mission capable of finding Earth-size planets around other stars – and it’s doing a very good job. In the journal Nature earlier this month,...

25 February 2011

Interview with

Dr Jack Lissauer, NASA Ames Research Center

Part of the show Kepler 11 - A Unique Extrasolar System

KEPLER-11

Credit:

CC0, NASA

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NASA describes Kepler as their first mission capable of finding Earth-size planets around other stars - Kepler-11 is a sun-like star around which six planets orbit. At times, two or more planets pass in front of the star at once, as shown in this artist

' alt='Artist's conception of a simultaneous transit of three planets before Kepler-11 observed by NASA's Kepler spacecraft on Aug. 26, 2010.' >and it's doing a very good job. In the journal Nature earlier this month, NASA scientists announced the discovery of a unique system of 6 stars orbiting very close to their parent star, Kepler 11. I spoke to Dr Jack Lissauer...