Astronomy & Space Science · AST-595
Gravitational Microlensing: Advanced Connections
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Overview
Advanced view of Gravitational Microlensing
Gravitational microlensing detects planets when a foreground star passes close to the line of sight to a distant background source and its gravity magnifies the source's light. A planet orbiting the foreground lens can add a brief deviation to the otherwise smooth lensing event.
Microlensing samples planets farther from their stars, low-mass worlds, and potentially free-floating planets, complementing detection methods biased toward close-in systems.
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- 01How We Find and Characterize ExoplanetsOpen source ↗
NASA Science
View claim-by-claim traceability3 verified claims
The foreground mass curves spacetime and bends multiple light paths toward the observer.
supported · checked Sep 22, 2026Gravitational microlensing detects planets when a foreground star passes close to the line of sight to a distant background source and its gravity magnifies the source's light.
supported · checked Sep 22, 2026Microlensing surveys monitor dense star fields and have detected planets from Earth mass to gas giants, including systems at large orbital separations that are difficult for transit surveys.
supported · checked Sep 22, 2026