Scientists using NASA’s Kepler, a space telescope, recently discovered six planets made of a mix of rock and gases orbiting a single sun-like star, known as Kepler-11, which is located approximately 2,000 light years from Earth.
Kepler confirmed the discovery of its first rocky planet, named Kepler-10b. Measuring 1.4 times the size of Earth, it is the smallest planet ever discovered outside our solar system.
SOFIA, NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, soared into the overnight skies on its first science flight Nov. 30, focusing on the Orion nebula and the Sharpless 140 star cluster.
The SOFIA flying observatory underwent several nights of telescope system checkout activities in mid-October in preparation for upcoming early astronomical science flights.
NASA’s SOFIA flying observatory is scheduled to undergo tests of its entire integrated observatory system with the Faint Object InfraRed Camera mounted on its telescope in October.
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.
