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To: KevinDavis

This post is worthless without pics! :)


6 posted on 01/04/2010 4:43:26 PM PST by sit-rep
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To: sit-rep
This post is worthless without pics!

In case you weren't aware.....

The spacecraft is not really performing optical imaging, like a typical optical observatory would do, as much as it is using it's instruments to gain the data needed.

Feelin lazy so copied this from NASA.

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The space craft basically looks for signatures of planets by measuring dips in the brightness of stars. When planets cross in front of, or transit, their stars as seen from Earth, they periodically block the starlight. The size of the planet can be derived from the size of the dip. The temperature can be estimated from the characteristics of the star it orbits and the planet's orbital period.

21 posted on 01/04/2010 9:36:28 PM PST by dragnet2
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