Kepler’s Data Revealed Jupiter’s Missing Twin

Astronomers continue their investigations based on data obtained by space telescopes to find new exoplanets and possible habitable planets. Kepler Space Telescope, which has accomplished successful works in this regard, still manages to make new discoveries with the data it has obtained, even though it has been years since its retirement.

Kepler Space Telescope had discovered many exoplanets with its discoveries in the infinite void of space until 2018. Continuing to examine the data recorded by the Kepler Space Telescope years ago, researchers today realized that the telescope had discovered an exoplanet that was very similar to Jupiter in an interesting way.

The Kepler Space Telescope has almost ‘exceeded’ itself to find this planet

While examining Kepler’s data in 2016, researchers came across something quite interesting. The Kepler Space Telescope, using a method it did not normally use in its discoveries that year, recorded the data of a planet that is almost identical to Jupiter in almost every respect. Kepler was known to have discovered more than 2,600 exoplanets during his tenure, and he did so by detecting the diminution of stars caused by a planet passing between us and a planet. It turned out that Kepler used a different method in the discovery of this planet, called K2-2016-BLG-0005Lb.

The planet was very far away and it was very difficult for the telescope to discover this planet, but Kepler was able to make this discovery with a method called ‘gravitational lens’ as a result of a massive object coming between us and the planet. What surprised the researchers was both Kepler’s ability to use the gravitational lens method and the planet’s similarity to Jupiter. To discover Jupiter’s missing twin, Kepler waited for another planet to come between us, and with this technique called gravitational lensing method, he made the discovery by using the other planet as a kind of magnifying glass. “Kepler wasn’t designed to use this technique, and it’s pretty surprising that he did,” the researchers say.

Jupiter’s missing twin 17,000 light-years away!

On the other hand, if we go back to the planet Kepler discovered by doing things he wouldn’t normally do; just like the discovery phase itself is quite interesting. Similar to Jupiter’s distance from the Sun, it prefers to stay away from its star. The fact that the planet is almost the same as Jupiter in mass makes it even more interesting, but due to its distance, it has never shown itself until now.

Roman and Euclid will take over the work that Kepler started for the new planet now 17,000 light-years from Earth and much more. Researchers will optimize the Roman and Euclid space telescopes for such work, completing the planet count that Kepler initiated.