kepler, nasa, new discoveries, stars, vampire star system

Kepler Witnesses Vampire Star System Undergoing Super-Outburst

NASA’s Kepler spacecraft was designed to find exoplanets by looking for stars that dim as a planet crosses the star’s face. Fortuitously, the same design makes it ideal for spotting other astronomical transients — objects that brighten or dim over time. A new search of Kepler archival data has uncovered an unusual super-outburst from a ...

Troy Oakes

Kepler witnesses vampire star system undergoing super-outburst

Kepler Spacecraft Running on Empty

Trailing Earth’s orbit at 94 million miles away, the Kepler space telescope has survived many potential knock-outs during its nine years in flight, from mechanical failures to being blasted by cosmic rays. At this rate, the hardy spacecraft may reach its finish line in a manner we will consider a wonderful success. With nary a ...

Troy Oakes

Kepler Spacecraft.