Prelude to, and Nature of the Space Photometry Revolution

Space Telescope Science Institute and Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, The Pennsylvania State University, 525 Davey Lab, University Park, PA 16802, USA

^a e-mail: gillil@stsci.edu

Published online: 23 September 2015

Abstract

It is now less than a decade since CoRoT initiated the space photometry revolution with breakthrough discoveries, and five years since Kepler started a series of similar advances. I’ll set the context for this revolution noting the status of asteroseismology and exoplanet discovery as it was 15–25 years ago in order to give perspective on why it is not mere hyperbole to claim CoRoT and Kepler fostered a revolution in our sciences. Primary events setting up the revolution will be recounted. I’ll continue with noting the major discoveries in hand, and how asteroseismology and exoplanet studies, and indeed our approach to doing science, have been forever changed thanks to these spectacular missions.