Proxima Centauri To Bend Starlight For Planet Hunt 23
astroengine writes "In October 2014 and again February 2016 Proxima Centauri, the closest star system to our Solar System, will pass in front of two distant stars allowing astronomers a rare opportunity to use Einstein's General Relativity to potentially detect hidden exoplanets around the star system. As Proxima Centauri blocks the distant starlight from our perspective, the gravitational field will bend the distant light to create a microlensing event. The transient brightening can then be analyzed and the gravitational presence of any worlds may be revealed. The research, announced Monday at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Indianapolis, has been submitted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal."
Unless you have a better idea. (Score:4, Interesting)
Why is it called "microlensing" anyway? The lens is bigger than everything all himans have done through all human history put together.
It should be called humungiddy lensing.
Evan better idea... (Score:4, Interesting)
One would think that with a good model of the gravitational light bending effect, it would be possible to convert Alpha Centauri into the objective lens of the largest telescope in history. Of course with a distance of 4+ ly, we may be well beyond the focal length of the star gravitational lens, In which case it might be a better microscope than a telescope.
Of course you have to eclipse the star to remove its light, but it would still prove a fascinating experiment. Has anyone thought of using the Sun to image distant solar systems at its focal point (and does anyone here know if that's even inside the solar system?)