Astronomy & Space Science · AST-592
Gravitational Microlensing: Structures & Vocabulary
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Structure
Structure of Gravitational Microlensing
A simple lens event has a symmetric magnification curve set by relative alignment and the Einstein angular scale. Planetary companions can create caustics, regions of especially high magnification where the light curve changes sharply.
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- 01How We Find and Characterize ExoplanetsOpen source ↗
NASA Science
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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