Transit Timing Observations from Kepler. IV. Confirmation of Four Multiple-planet Systems by Simple Physical Models

Planets in Systems from NASA’s Kepler Mission

The image above depicts multiple planet systems discovered by NASA’s Kepler mission and confirmed by transit timing variations (as of January 2012). Out of hundreds of candidate planetary systems, scientists had previously verified six systems with multiple transiting planets (denoted here in red). Now, Kepler observations have verified planets (shown here in green) in 11 new planetary systems. Many of these systems contain additional planet candidates that are yet to be verified (shown here in dark purple). For reference, the eight planets of the solar system are shown in blue.

See also papers II & III in this series, leading to [../2012-ap-j-750-112-l].

Press Coverage

• NASA mission piles on the planets: MSNBC, January 26, 2012 [w/ video]
• NASA's Keplar Spacecraft Finds 11 New Solar Systems, 26 Planets: Mashable, January 27, 2012 [video]
• Planet-hunting space telescope nets jackpot: January 27, 2012
• Kepler uncovers planetary menagerie: Nature News Blog, Janary 27, 2012
• La nave Kepler descubre 26 nuevos planetas orbitando en torno a 11 estrellas: El Munod, January 27, 2012 (spanish)
• NASA Telescope Discovers 26 Alien Planets Around 11 Different Stars: Space.com, January 26, 2012
• Kepler finds 11 new solar systems beyond our own: Spaceflight Now, January 26, 2012
• Kepler team confirms 11 more planetary systems, 26 planets: CNN, January 26, 2012
• NASA feature story: January 26, 2012
• University of Florida press release: January 26, 2012
• University of California, Santa Cruz press release: January 26, 2012