News Brief: NASA has hit the pause button on observations by its most prolific planet-hunting probe, the Kepler space telescope, so that it can download 51 days’ worth science data without interruption. The reason? Kepler’s fuel tanks are close to empty. After the download, Kepler will resume data gathering — that is, assuming there’s any fuel left. Kepler has detected 2,650 confirmed planets, including 24 planets that were added to the list just last week. The data yet to be analyzed should yield hundreds more. Even though the nine-year-old telescope has gone far beyond its original one-year mission, astronomers are mourning its impending demise. There’s consolation in the fact that NASA’s planet-hunting TESS telescope is ramping up after its launch in April. Here’s a sampling of the reaction:
Status update: prompted by a drop in fuel pressure, we commanded Kepler into its no-fuel nap mode. This is a prudent measure to safeguard 51 days of high-quality Campaign 18 data. Meanwhile, preparations for Campaign 19 continue. Details: https://t.co/QvX85C3Eis #K2Mission
— Kepler/K2 GO Office (@KeplerGO) July 6, 2018
Nooooooooooooooooooo! https://t.co/qVF9fogtJZ
— Adam Frank (@AdamFrank4) July 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/_ssagear/status/1015284769767215104
Saluting Kepler, best space telescope that ever was (is. is!). Sorry, Hubble, it’s true. pic.twitter.com/vX5wTcojCi
— ✨ László Molnár ✨🛰️🎓 (@lacalaca85) July 6, 2018
It’s amazing how the @NASAKepler and @NASA_TESS timelines are seamlessly joined. As one winds down, the other ramps up. That said, astronomers will be analyzing Kepler data for years to come. There’s abundant information lurking in the public archive just waiting to be mined.
— Natalie Batalha (@nbatalha@mastodon.social) (@nbatalha) July 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/aussiastronomer/status/1015287909061185536
