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Contact: Diane Banegas
dbanegas@nsf.gov
703-292-4489
National Science Foundation

Microlensing Technique

Caption: Microlensing works by using the gravity of the near star (shown in the bottom left), and its orbiting planets as a lens, magnifying light from a background star. By studying how the complex patterns of magnified light change as the near star and the two planets of planetary system moves in front of the distant star (top right), we can determine the properties of the planets and their star.

Credit: KASI - CBNU - ARCSEC

Usage Restrictions: can only use image if it include the acronyms KASI - CBNU - ARCSEC

Related news release: A newly discovered solar system contains scaled-down versions of Saturn and Jupiter


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