22% of Sun-like stars have Earth-sized planets in the habitable zone

By Thomas Posted 05 Nov 2013 — 0 Comment ↓

The habitable zone corresponds to the range of orbital distances where liquid water can exist on a planet's surface. Credit: Petigura/UC Berkeley, Howard/UH-Manoa, Marcy/UC Berkeley.

How common are planets like Earth? That’s been a question astronomers and dreamers have pondered for decades, and now, thanks to the Kepler spacecraft, they have an answer. One in five Sun-like stars in our galaxy have Earth-sized planets that Continue reading →

NASA’s Kepler mission begins extension

By Thomas Posted 15 Nov 2012 — 0 Comment ↓

Artist's concept of Kepler in the distant solar system. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA is marking two milestones in the search for planets like Earth; the successful completion of the Kepler Space Telescope’s three-and-a-half-year prime mission and the beginning of an extended mission that could last as long as four years. Scientists have Continue reading →

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22% of Sun-like stars have Earth-sized planets in the habitable zone

NASA’s Kepler mission begins extension