Science with Atbin's video: Kepler-1b

TrES-2b (or Kepler-1b) is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star GSC 03549-02811 located 750 light years away from our solar system. The planet has been identified in 2011 as the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it. The planet's mass and radius indicate that it is a gas giant with a bulk composition similar to that of Jupiter. Unlike Jupiter, but similar to many planets detected around other stars, TrES-2b is located very close to its star, and belongs to the class of planets known as hot Jupiters. This system was within the field of view of the now nonoperational Kepler spacecraft. This planet continues to be studied by other projects and the parameters are being improved continuously. A 2007 study improved stellar and planetary parameters. A 2008 study concluded that the TrES-2 system is a binary star system. This has a significant effect on the values for the stellar and the planetary parameters.