Why was the Kepler space telescope focused on a single patch of sky for many years?
A) It was studying planets around a particular star in that patch of sky.
B) It was trying to detect planets that repeatedly pass in front of their star.
C) It was trying to detect which stars in that patch of sky move due to an unseen planet.
D) One of its steering mechanism was broken, preventing it from pointing in other directions.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Kepler space telescope was designed to detect Earth-like planets in the habitable zones of stars by observing transits, which are slight dimmings of a star's brightness as a planet passes in front of it. By focusing on a single patch of sky, Kepler could continuously monitor the brightness of thousands of stars to identify these transits, indicating the presence of planets.

Why Was the Kepler Space Telescope Focused on a Single