53万多个恒星系统,确认发现了2662颗系外行星。来源:NASA[10]
开普勒探测器告诉我们,系外行星是普遍存在的,类地大小的行星也是普遍存在的;开普勒探测器也告诉我们,行星系统可以有多么丰富多彩,传统的行星形成理论可能亟需修改——我们以为是典型的太阳系,只不过是其中一种情况罢了。
丰富多彩的系外行星假想图。来源:NASA
同时,开普勒探测器留下的海量数据也是一笔巨大的宝藏,留待科学家们在接下来的几十年里慢慢发掘。
结语
除了还在勤奋搜寻中的苔丝探测器之外,还有以詹姆斯·韦伯号为首的许多空间望远镜会在接下来的数年里相继发射,以不同的方法和视角去探索系外行星的方方面面——相信这些新的猎手们一定会给我们带来更多惊喜。
詹姆斯韦伯望远镜设计图。来源:NASA
参考文献:
[1] NASA | A Brief History of the Kepler Mission
https://www.nasa.gov/kepler/overview/historybyborucki
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https://keplerscience.arc.nasa.gov/k2-fields.html
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https://www.nasa.gov/kepler/missionstatistics