Kepler and the RR Lyrae Stars (Abstract)

Volume 42 number 1 (2014)

Katrien Kolenberg

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; kkolenb@cfa.harvard.edu

Abstract

(Abstract only) The spectacular data delivered by NASA’s Kepler mission have not only boosted the discovery of planets orbiting other stars, but they have opened a window on the inner workings of the stars themselves. For the study of the RR Lyrae stars, Kepler has provided a breakthrough. To date, over fifty RR Lyrae stars are known in the Kepler field. I will present some of the most interesting results on RR Lyrae stars obtained through Kepler so far. Though high-precision satellite data have led to new insights, amateur observations of these stars remain extremely valuable and can complement the space data.