Kepler-9 b,c planets discovered

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the discovery of the planets Kepler-9 b and c, which are part of a planetary system identified by NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The conversation includes details about the planets' characteristics, the significance of their discovery, and the potential identification of a third, smaller planet.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note the discovery of Kepler-9 b and c, highlighting their masses and orbital periods.
  • Others emphasize that these planets are significantly larger than Earth, with masses approximately 500-1000 times that of Earth.
  • A participant mentions the identification of a potential third planet, which may be a super-Earth, but additional observations are needed to confirm its existence.
  • There is discussion about the relative sizes of the Kepler planets compared to other exoplanets, with some participants pointing out that many exoplanets have much larger masses than those of Kepler-9 b and c.
  • One participant references the ongoing search for smaller planets as part of the Kepler mission's goals.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the existence of Kepler-9 b and c and their characteristics, but there is uncertainty regarding the potential third planet and its classification. The discussion reflects multiple viewpoints on the significance of the findings and the nature of the planets.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on specific assumptions about the definitions of planet sizes and masses, and the discussion does not resolve the status of the third potential planet.

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c1main.nasa.planets.jpg


On August 26, 2010, scientists announced the discovery of two planets orbiting around Kepler-9.

Kepler-9 b - 0.252 MJ - 0.14 AU - 19.24 days
Kepler-9 c - 0.171 MJ - 0.225 AU - 38.91 days
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Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kepler-9"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Astronomy news on Phys.org
More details...


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/news/two_planet_orbit.html

NASA's Kepler spacecraft has discovered the first confirmed planetary system with more than one planet crossing in front of, or transiting, the same star.

The transit signatures of two distinct planets were seen in the data for the sun-like star designated Kepler-9. The planets were named Kepler-9b and 9c. The discovery incorporates seven months of observations of more than 156,000 stars as part of an ongoing search for Earth-sized planets outside our solar system. The findings will be published in Thursday's issue of the journal Science.

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--diogenesNY
 
diogenesNY said:
More details...http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/news/two_planet_orbit.html

NASA's Kepler spacecraft has discovered the first confirmed planetary system with more than one planet crossing in front of, or transiting, the same star.

The transit signatures of two distinct planets were seen in the data for the sun-like star designated Kepler-9. The planets were named Kepler-9b and 9c. The discovery incorporates seven months of observations of more than 156,000 stars as part of an ongoing search for Earth-sized planets outside our solar system. The findings will be published in Thursday's issue of the journal Science.

-----

--diogenesNY

Cool find (though not exactly Earth-like. They're 500-1000x the mass of Earth.)
 
Ooh!
In addition to the two confirmed giant planets, Kepler scientists also have identified what appears to be a third, much smaller transit signature in the observations of Kepler-9. That signature is consistent with the transits of a super-Earth-sized planet about 1.5 times the radius of Earth...

Oh...
...in a scorching, near-sun 1.6 day-orbit.

Ah.
Additional observations are required to determine whether this signal is indeed a planet or an astronomical phenomenon that mimics the appearance of a transit.
 
DaveC426913 said:
Cool find (though not exactly Earth-like. They're 500-1000x the mass of Earth.)
Many exoplanets have masses several times that of Jupiter, but the Kepler planets are relatively small.

"The observations show Kepler-9b is the larger of the two planets, and both have masses similar to but less than Saturn. Kepler-9b lies closest to the star with an orbit of about 19 days, while Kepler-9c has an orbit of about 38 days."

Ref: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2010/10-73AR.html

Based on the masses 0.252 MJ and 0.171 MJ cited by Orion1 from Wikipedia, those are roughly 80 Mearth and 54 Mearth, respectively. Jupiter is about 318 Mearth.

cf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_mass
 
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Astronuc said:
Many exoplanets have masses several times that of Jupiter, but the Kepler planets are relatively small.
Oh I know, I've been following them closely over the years with frequent visits to http://exoplanet.eu/catalog-all.php" .

It's just that Kepler is a search for smaller planets.
 
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