"Plato will use 24 'normal' cameras and 2 'fast' cameras to look at more than 100 000 stars and search for planets around them." The mission uses the transit method, where planets passing in front of their host stars cause a dimming of the starlight. This effect helps determine a planet's size, mass, and density.
During the four-year mission, the cameras will utilize a specialized pointing technique to observe the same stars over extended periods. Collectively, the 26 cameras will image about 5% of the sky simultaneously.
Plato's scientific payload, including the cameras and electronic units, is a collaboration between ESA and the Plato Mission Consortium. This Consortium includes various European research centers, institutes, and industries.
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