Can we photograph exoplanets?

The vast majority of exoplanet hunting relies on observing very small, very distant objects. In a few rare cases, astronomers have been able to snap pictures of exoplanets, but those have been very special cases — nearby, absolutely massive planets.

Can the Sun be used as a telescope?

We have calculated that a modest telescope located approximately 50 billion miles from the Sun, at the focus of its lensing effect, could magnify the image of an exoplanet 100 light-years away by a factor of 100 billion. The result would be more than a single pixel—it would be an image a thousand pixels wide.

What do astronomers use gravitational lensing for?

Gravitational lensing probes the distribution of matter in galaxies and clusters of galaxies, and enables observations of the distant universe. Hubble’s data will also provide a basis and guide for the James Webb Space Telescope, whose infrared observations will push yet farther into the cosmos.

Can you see planets from other solar systems?

Today, we know of over three thousand planets outside of our solar system (also known as exoplanets) and that number increases by over 100 planets each year. Unlike the planets we can see in our Solar System, the majority of exoplanets have not been directly imaged.

Can telescopes see exoplanets?

Hubble became the first telescope to directly detect an exoplanet’s atmosphere and survey its makeup. As a planet passes between its star and us, a small amount of light from the star is absorbed by the gas in the planet’s atmosphere, leaving chemical “fingerprints” in the star’s light.

Can telescopes see the surface of planets?

A space telescope in just the right spot would see the image of an exoplanet amplified by orders of magnitude. The Sun would bend the light from the planet around it, focusing it at a point on the opposite side and, in effect, magnifying the exoplanet into a gigantic image.

Can telescopes see planets in other solar systems?

Only recently have our technology and techniques been up to the task of finding exoplanets. Telescopes on the ground and in space have uncovered thousands of planets beyond our solar system.

How does gravity bend light what is gravitational lensing?

As the light emitted by distant galaxies passes by massive objects in the universe, the gravitational pull from these objects can distort or bend the light. This is called gravitational lensing. Weak gravitational lensing results in galaxies appearing distorted, stretched or magnified. …