Kepler Finds ‘Super-Earth’ Exoplanet in First Discovery of New Mission

Artist’s conception of super-Earth HIP 116454b. Credit: David A. Aguilar (CfA)

The Kepler space telescope has found its first new exoplanet, a “super-Earth,” of its secondary mission phase. The discovery adds to a current tally of 996 confirmed exoplanets and 4,183 planetary candidates already found by the revolutionary planet-hunting telescope.

The discovery not [...]