Telescopes Flashcards
Cheops 2019
Studying bright stars with KNOWN exoplanets, using transits to measure exact size, optical telescope, S1 from ESAs Cosmic Vision
CoRoT 2006
Observe stellar vibrations and search for Earth-like exoplanets, precise photometer, by ESA, discovered:
- first planet from space
- first super Earth R and M
- first transiting Jupiter
TESS 2017
Search for new exoplanets, 400x area of Kepler, transits/spectroscopy/asteroseismology, optical telescope, by NASA
PLATO 2026
Search for and study close-by terrestrial planets around Sun-like stars, will make a catalogue with R, M, density, age, host star. Especially in the habitable zone. Uses photometric transits, RV, asteroseismology. M3 from ESAs Cosmic Vision.
Challenges: mass, camera stability, temperature, Sun in FOV.
Kepler 2009
Makes a survey of Earth-size exoplanets in the Milky Way. Currently found 4706 candidates and 1039 confirmed, by NASA, photometer that measures the brightness of stars, orbits need to be seen on-edge
ISO 1995
First real IR space observatory, studied dusty regions in the universe, a spectrograph/photometer/2 spectrometers
Herschel 2009
FIR and sub-mm telescope, studied the cool/dusty universe, Horizon2000 C-mission by ESA
Spitzer 2003
IR space telescope, by NASA, 3 instruments: IRAC, IRS, MIPS. Was cooled by liquid He at 4K, when it ran out of He it stabilized at 30 K, now only IRAC kept working at short wavelengths, looked into the formation of stars, first to directly detect an exoplanet
IRAS 1983
First telescope to perform a survey at IR, found 350k new sources, by NASA
Gaia 2013
Made 3D map of the Milky Way, delivers distance to star, position and radial velocities, Contains 2 optical telescopes/rv spectrometer/ blue-red photometer, C6 from ESAs Horizon2000
Ariel 2029
Investigates 1000 exoplanets for the chemistry of their atmospheres, optical and IR photometry, M4 from ESAs Cosmic Vision
