Kepler's first finds - this is only from analysing part of Kepler's data, so I imagine there will be loads more in the future.
The BBC article has a nice graphic showing the relative sizes of the five new planets.
The more boring aspect is that they're all "hot jupiters", although one of them (Kepler 4b) is a bit bigger than Neptune (the other 4 are bigger than Jupiter).
Particularly interesting is Kepler 7b, which is the least dense exoplanet ever discovered - quoting the article: "The average density of this planet with its core is about the same as Styrofoam"
Kepler discovers 5 new planets
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Topic authorianmacfarlane
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Re: Kepler discovers 5 new planets
Quite a few Kepler papers appeared on the arXiv today. Of the few I've skimmed, the one that jumps out as spectacular is this one...
The Discovery of Ellipsoidal Variations in the Kepler Light Curve of HAT-P-7
That is to say, Kepler has been able to observe the tidal bulge on the star induced by the hot Jupiter. Very impressive result that indicates that transits of Earth-like planets are well within the capabilities of the instrument.
The Discovery of Ellipsoidal Variations in the Kepler Light Curve of HAT-P-7
That is to say, Kepler has been able to observe the tidal bulge on the star induced by the hot Jupiter. Very impressive result that indicates that transits of Earth-like planets are well within the capabilities of the instrument.