COROT finds its 1st exoplanet, tests show it can find exo-earths and chemical composition.

Article - Success of the first COROT satellite observation: First
exoplanet and first stellar oscillations, on 3 May 2007

http://smsc.cnes.fr/COROT/GP_actualite.htm

According to the above and a press release at

http://smsc.cnes.fr/COROT/PremObsCorot_en.pdf

they say that COROT satellite has had its first success finding a
giant planet in a highly elliptical orbit, but more importantly, tests
show that photometry of 1 part in 20,000 will be reached, and if more
than 25 transits are observed, 1 part in 50,000 can be observed.

"The implications are that very small exoplanets similar to Earth are
within the grasp of Corot, and that variations of the stellar
reflected light by the planet may be observable (depending on its
reflectance), giving indication on its chemical composition."

Although finding giant exoplanets has become commonplace, this one is
significant not only because it is COROT's first (of undoubtedly very
many), but because it is one of the minority found using the transit
method. Here is another article about the find -

New Planet Discovered that is Larger Than Jupiter
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...net_discovered...

The star HD 147506 at 440 LY in Hercules. The planet takes only 1 day
and 12 hours to complete one highly ellipitcal orbit.

It's only the beginning. Congratulations COROT team! Jason H.