| The United Nations has named 2009 the | | | | the last two decades. The Kepler probe will be |
| International Year of Astronomy. The year was | | | | launched into an Earth-trailing orbit around the Sun |
| chosen by the United Nations because it marks | | | | by a Delta booster rocket. Its telescope is being |
| the four hundred year anniversary of Italian | | | | designed to precisely measure the light from stars |
| astronomer Galileo Galilei's first observations using | | | | in a one hundred square degree part of the sky in |
| a telescope. | | | | the constellation of Cygnus to discover both the |
| The International Year of Astronomy will feature | | | | size and orbit of undetected new worlds. |
| a number of interesting international space | | | | It is estimated that the target area of the |
| projects and events. The European Space | | | | telescope's observation is home to more than one |
| Agency has plans to launch a roving laboratory to | | | | hundred thousand stars. The spacecraft's |
| Mars. Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic service | | | | photometer will be able to detect small decreases |
| plans to offer commercial sub-orbital space flights | | | | in stellar brightness when a planet "transits" its |
| that should commence in 2009. Russia should be | | | | star. Three transits with a consistent period, |
| able to launch its laboratory module for the | | | | brightness change, and duration will provide NASA |
| International Space Station. | | | | scientists with evidence of the detection of an |
| However, the most exciting mission in the | | | | extra-solar planet. Kepler is scheduled to focus |
| International Year of Astronomy may well be the | | | | exclusively on the constellation Cygnus target |
| NASA Discovery Mission called Kepler. NASA | | | | area for four years with a possible two-year |
| intends to send a probe into space capable of | | | | extension. |
| finding small planets like Earth that have the | | | | The Kepler probe is important not only for what it |
| possibility of supporting life. The Kepler telescope | | | | may find, but also for what it may not find. For |
| is looking for planets in the "habitable zone" of | | | | example, if Kepler can't locate smaller planets like |
| their star or at distances that would allow oceans | | | | Earth, it may be that planets with "habitable |
| to exist. | | | | zones" are rare in space. Earth may indeed be |
| To date, more than two hundred extra solar | | | | truly unique. However, if planets with a size and |
| planets have been found, but none of these | | | | location similar to Earth are discovered, there |
| discoveries is a planet similar to the Earth. The | | | | would be Earth-like planets to target for |
| fact is that it is very difficult to detect a planet as | | | | subsequent NASA space missions. |
| small as Earth in orbit around a distant star. A tiny | | | | The launch of Kepler is now only one year away |
| planet like Earth only reflects the light from the | | | | and will mark an effort to discover our place in |
| star and does not shine on its own. In addition, | | | | the universe. If you believe unidentified flying |
| this faint planet light appears to be so close to the | | | | objects (UFO) exist or simply that life indeed |
| much brighter star that they are almost | | | | must exist elsewhere, NASA’s Kepler mission |
| impossible to tell apart. The 2009 Kepler Space | | | | should be a highlight in the International Year of |
| Laboratory is being designed to go beyond the | | | | Astronomy. |
| Hubble Telescope and traditional Earth-bound | | | | Of course, the ultimate question in space |
| telescopes to locate rocky Earth-sized planets. | | | | exploration is the question, are we alone in the |
| Kepler will be a space-based probe with a cost of | | | | universe? In 2009, the Kepler Space Laboratory |
| over five hundred fifty million dollars. It will use | | | | begins the journey to find out the answer, as it |
| state of the art technology (optical | | | | fulfills its mission to hunt for life supporting planets |
| interferometry) that has been refined only within | | | | like Earth in space. |