QAFCA

KEPLER was launched on March 6, 2009. It is composed of a 1.4m diameter mirror and 42 CCDs. Its main goal is to detect exoplanets the size of Earth or smaller, including exoplanets in the habitable zone, i.e. on the surface of which water can exist in a liquid state. It will observe 100,000 stars.

The data obtained by this satellite will also make it possible to study the variations of the stars around which these exoplanets are sought, that is to say to carry out asteroseismology. In addition, a small number of stars of particular interest from an asteroseismic point of view will be included in the KEPLER observation program.

This is the asteroseismology part of the mission which concerns members of our team. The advantage of KEPLER compared to previous asteroseismology missions is that it will observe a single field of the sky for 3.5 years. This will make it possible to obtain asteroseismological data of such precision that it will be possible to detect a very large number of pulsation modes in each pulsing star observed and therefore to make very detailed models of the internal structure of these stars.