Kepler’s Data Revealed Jupiter’s Missing Twin

Astronomers continue to use data from space telescopes to find new exoplanets and possible habitable planets. Kepler Space Telescope, which has done successful work in this regard, Although it has been years since his retirement It still manages to sign new discoveries with the data it has obtained.

Kepler Space Telescope in the endless void of space With his discoveries until 2018 He had discovered many exoplanets. Continuing to examine the data recorded by the Kepler Space Telescope years ago, researchers today realized that the telescope had discovered an exoplanet that was very similar to Jupiter in an interesting way.

Kepler Space Telescope ‘exceeded itself’ to find this planet

Researchers Kepler’s data in 2016 While examining it, he came across something quite interesting. The Kepler Space Telescope, using a method it did not normally use in its discoveries that year, recorded the data of a planet that is almost identical to Jupiter in almost every respect. During Kepler’s tenure More than 2,600 exoplanets discovered and it was known to do this by detecting the brightness drops of stars caused by a planet passing between us. Kepler’s called K2-2016-BLG-0005Lb it turned out that he used a different method in this planet discovery.

The planet was very far away and it was very difficult for the telescope to discover this planet, but Kepler was able to make this discovery with a method called ‘gravitational lens’ as a result of a massive object coming between us and the planet. What surprised the researchers was both Kepler’s ability to use the gravitational lens method and the planet’s similarity to Jupiter. To discover Jupiter’s missing twin, Kepler waited for another planet to come between us, and using this technique, called the gravitational lens method, by using the other planet as a kind of magnifying glass. made his discovery. “Kepler wasn’t designed to use this technique, and it’s pretty surprising that he did,” the researchers say.

Jupiter’s missing twin 17,000 light-years away!

On the other hand, if we go back to the planet Kepler discovered by doing things he wouldn’t normally do; just like the discovery phase itself is quite interesting. Similar to Jupiter’s distance from the Sun, it prefers to stay away from its star. of the planet almost the same as Jupiter in mass The fact that it is even more interesting makes it even more interesting, but due to its distance, it has never shown itself until now.

From Earth Now 17,000 light years away Roman and Euclid will take over the work that Kepler started for the new planet and much more. Researchers will optimize the Roman and Euclid space telescopes for such work, completing the planet count that Kepler initiated.