NASA scientists recently unearthed hidden data within old mission records that hint at the existence of an uncharted solar system boasting seven planets. Emerged from a re-examination of data gathered by the Kepler space telescope. Kepler embarked on its mission in 2009 to identify exoplanets.
Using a method known as the transit method, Kepler scrutinized over 200,000 stars, and it is from this wealth of information that a team of scientists, led by Dr. Jessie Christiansen from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, made their groundbreaking discovery. It is not new information, but parts of it have been hidden from the public.
Exploring the Transit Method:
The Kepler space telescope's approach to identifying exoplanets centres on the transit method. This technique entails observing dips in the brightness of stars, an indication that a celestial body may have passed in front of them. With years of data analysis under their belts, scientists recently stumbled upon a puzzling pattern in one star's brightness—this pattern, they concluded, could not be attributed to a single planet.
Further investigation led to a realization: the pattern was not the result of one lone planet but rather of an entire system comprising seven planets. These planets, while smaller than Neptune, orbit their host star in close proximity to each other, a stark contrast to the spacious arrangement of planets in our own solar system.
The discovery of this "new" solar system carries profound implications for our comprehension of the universe.
The tightly knit arrangement of these planets prompts questions about the process of planetary formation, hinting that alternative mechanisms may be at play when compared to our own solar system's structure.
