The K2 mission: characterization and early results

Steve B. Howell; Charlie Sobeck; Michael Haas; Martin Still; Thomas Barclay; Fergal Mullally; John Troeltzsch; Suzanne Aigrain; Stephen T. Bryson; Doug Caldwell; William J. Chaplin; William D. Cochran; Daniel Huber; Geoffrey W. Marcy; Andrea Miglio; Joan R. Najita; Marcie Smith; J. D. Twicken; Jonathan J. Fortney

doi:10.1086/676406

The K2 mission: characterization and early results

Steve B. Howell, Charlie Sobeck, Michael Haas, Martin Still, Thomas Barclay, Fergal Mullally, John Troeltzsch, Suzanne Aigrain, Stephen T. Bryson, Doug Caldwell, William J. Chaplin, William D. Cochran, Daniel Huber, Geoffrey W. Marcy, Andrea Miglio, Joan R. Najita, Marcie Smith, J. D. Twicken, Jonathan J. Fortney

Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

874 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The K2 mission will make use of the Kepler spacecraft and its assets to expand upon Kepler's groundbreaking discoveries in the fields of exoplanets and astrophysics through new and exciting observations. K2 will use an innovative way of operating the spacecraft to observe target fields along the ecliptic for the next 2-3 years. Early science commissioning observations have shown an estimated photometric precision near 400 ppm in a single 30 minute observation, and a 6-hr photometric precision of 80 ppm (both at V = 12). The K2 mission offers long-term, simultaneous optical observation of thousands of objects at a precision far better than is achievable from ground-based telescopes. Ecliptic fields will be observed for approximately 75 days enabling a unique exoplanet survey which fills the gaps in duration and sensitivity between the Kepler and TESS missions, and offers prelaunch exoplanet target identification for JWST transit spectroscopy. Astrophysics observations with K2 will include studies of young open clusters, bright stars, galaxies, supernovae, and asteroseismology.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	398-408
Number of pages	11
Journal	Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Volume	126
Issue number	938
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/676406
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2014

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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Howell, S. B., Sobeck, C., Haas, M., Still, M., Barclay, T., Mullally, F., Troeltzsch, J., Aigrain, S., Bryson, S. T., Caldwell, D., Chaplin, W. J., Cochran, W. D., Huber, D., Marcy, G. W., Miglio, A., Najita, J. R., Smith, M., Twicken, J. D., & Fortney, J. J. (2014). The K2 mission: characterization and early results. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 126(938), 398-408. https://doi.org/10.1086/676406

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abstract = "The K2 mission will make use of the Kepler spacecraft and its assets to expand upon Kepler's groundbreaking discoveries in the fields of exoplanets and astrophysics through new and exciting observations. K2 will use an innovative way of operating the spacecraft to observe target fields along the ecliptic for the next 2-3 years. Early science commissioning observations have shown an estimated photometric precision near 400 ppm in a single 30 minute observation, and a 6-hr photometric precision of 80 ppm (both at V = 12). The K2 mission offers long-term, simultaneous optical observation of thousands of objects at a precision far better than is achievable from ground-based telescopes. Ecliptic fields will be observed for approximately 75 days enabling a unique exoplanet survey which fills the gaps in duration and sensitivity between the Kepler and TESS missions, and offers prelaunch exoplanet target identification for JWST transit spectroscopy. Astrophysics observations with K2 will include studies of young open clusters, bright stars, galaxies, supernovae, and asteroseismology.",

author = "Howell, {Steve B.} and Charlie Sobeck and Michael Haas and Martin Still and Thomas Barclay and Fergal Mullally and John Troeltzsch and Suzanne Aigrain and Bryson, {Stephen T.} and Doug Caldwell and Chaplin, {William J.} and Cochran, {William D.} and Daniel Huber and Marcy, {Geoffrey W.} and Andrea Miglio and Najita, {Joan R.} and Marcie Smith and Twicken, {J. D.} and Fortney, {Jonathan J.}",

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Howell, SB, Sobeck, C, Haas, M, Still, M, Barclay, T, Mullally, F, Troeltzsch, J, Aigrain, S, Bryson, ST, Caldwell, D, Chaplin, WJ, Cochran, WD, Huber, D, Marcy, GW, Miglio, A, Najita, JR, Smith, M, Twicken, JD & Fortney, JJ 2014, 'The K2 mission: characterization and early results', Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, vol. 126, no. 938, pp. 398-408. https://doi.org/10.1086/676406

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AU - Aigrain, Suzanne

AU - Bryson, Stephen T.

AU - Caldwell, Doug

AU - Chaplin, William J.

AU - Cochran, William D.

AU - Huber, Daniel

AU - Marcy, Geoffrey W.

AU - Miglio, Andrea

AU - Najita, Joan R.

AU - Smith, Marcie

AU - Twicken, J. D.

AU - Fortney, Jonathan J.

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The K2 mission: characterization and early results

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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