Talk about a big year. 2011 turned out to be a banner year for NASA's Kepler mission, with the promise of even more exciting results to come in 2012. PlanetQuest reviews some of Kepler's 2011 highlights.
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Two extremely bright stars illuminate a greenish mist in this and other images from the new "GLIMPSE360" survey from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.
Galaxy Evolution Explorer
Uses ultraviolet wavelengths to measure the history of star formation 80 percent of the way back to the Big Bang.
› Mission home page
Keck Interferometer
Links two 10-meter (33-foot) telescopes, which form the world's most powerful optical telescope system.
› Telescope home page
Kepler Mission
The Kepler Mission will search for Earth-like planets with the "transit" method.
› Kepler home page
Palomar Observatory
A joint effort between JPL and the California Institute of Technology, the Palomar Observatory houses a collection of famous telescopes.
› Palomar home page
Spitzer Space Telescope
Uses infrared technology to study celestial objects that are too cool, too dust-enshrouded or too far away to otherwise be seen.
› Mission home page
Voyager to the Outer Planets
Voyager 1 and 2 flew past Jupiter and Saturn. Voyager 2 also flew by Uranus and Neptune. Voyager 1 is now approaching interstellar space.
› Mission home page
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)
WISE is mapping the entire sky in infrared light, uncovering the coolest stars, the universe's most luminous galaxies and some of the darkest near-Earth asteroids and comets.
› Mission home page
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NuSTAR Spacecraft Arrives in California
NASA's NuSTAR mission has arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base in central California, where it will be mated to its Pegasus rocket.
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NASA's Kepler Announces 11 New Planetary Systems
NASA's Kepler mission has discovered 11 new planetary systems with a combined total of 26 planets. The mission has discovered more than 60 planets and thousands of candidates.
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NASA's NuSTAR Ships to Vandenberg for March 14 Launch
NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, has been shipped to Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., to be mated to its Pegasus launch vehicle.
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A Planet With Two Suns
These animations illustrate a planet circling two stars. The planet, Kepler-16b, was discovered by NASA's Kepler mission. |
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Black Holes: By the Numbers
What are black holes and how do they form? Get the facts and figures in our new slideshow. |
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Weird Warm Spot on Exoplanet
This animation illustrates an unexpected warm spot on the surface of a gaseous exoplanet. |
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