Originally posted by Max_TO
reply to post by seeker1977
Based on how Kepler works we simply may be observing sun spots.
Assuming we are detecting planets, how can we say with certainty how far the planet may be from its sun? The thing is we can't say much with any
certainty. NASA even states that for this to work " assumptions have to be made ".
This was not discovered using Kepler, which (as you alluded to) uses the transit method for finding planets.
It was discovered using the Carnegie Planet Finder Spectrograph. This instrument detects gravitation influences using a Doppler shift method. The
planet was also verified using a different gravitational wobble method.
Kepler does use certain methods to rule out sunspots, such as waiting for the planet to transit multiple time. However, those multiple transits take
time. That's one reason why Kepler usually calls a potential new planet a "candidate", because more time is needed to confirm its existence using
Kepler (and to rule out something like a sunspot).
However, once Kepler finds a candidate, other methods can be used to verify/confirm the existence of a planet, such as the way this planet was found
-- through gravitational influences.
