Kepler Mission

The Kepler Mission was a NASA space telescope launched in 2009 to find Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. It continuously monitored over 150,000 stars in a patch of the sky, looking for tiny dips in brightness caused by planets passing in front of their stars, called transits. By detecting these regular dips, Kepler identified thousands of potential planets, helping scientists understand how common planets are in our galaxy. The mission advanced our knowledge of planetary systems and the potential for habitability beyond Earth. Kepler’s work has significantly expanded our understanding of the universe and the search for extraterrestrial life.