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arXiv:1802.08421astro-ph.IM

Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens Mission

Slava G. Turyshev, Michael Shao, Leon Alkalai, Nitin Aurora, Darren Garber, Henry Helvajian, Tom Heinsheimer, Siegfried Janson, Jared R. Males, Dmitri Mawet, Roy Nakagawa, Seth Redfield, Janice Shen, Nathan Strange, Mark R. Swain, Viktor T. Toth, Phil A. Willems, John L. West, Stacy Weinstein-Weiss, Hanying Zhou

Early discovery. Linked by one identifiable commenter. This paper is outside the main ranking; a mention is not an endorsement.

Abstract

The remarkable optical properties of the solar gravitational lens (SGL) include major brightness amplification (~1e11 at wavelength of 1 um) and extreme angular resolution (~1e-10 arcsec) in a narrow field of view. A mission to the SGL carrying a modest telescope and coronagraph opens up a possibility for direct megapixel imaging and high-resolution spectroscopy of a habitable Earth-like exoplanet at a distance of up to 100 light years. The entire image of such a planet is compressed by the SGL into a region with a diameter of ~1.3 km in the vicinity of the focal line. The telescope, acting as a single pixel detector while traversing this region, can build an image of the exoplanet with kilometer-scale resolution of its surface, enough to see its surface features and signs of habitability. We report here on the results of our initial study of a mission to the deep outer regions of our solar system, with the primary mission objective of conducting direct megapixel high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy of a potentially habitable exoplanet by exploiting the remarkable optical properties of the SGL. Our main goal was to investigate what it takes to operate spacecraft at such enormous distances with the needed precision. Specifically, we studied i) how a space mission to the focal region of the SGL may be used to obtain high-resolution direct imaging and spectroscopy of an exoplanet by detecting, tracking, and studying the Einstein ring around the Sun, and ii) how such information could be used to detect signs of life on another planet. Our results indicate that a mission to the SGL with an objective of direct imaging and spectroscopy of a distant exoplanet is challenging, but possible. We composed a list of recommendations on the mission architectures with risk and return tradeoffs and discuss an enabling technology development program.

arXiv comments
Final Report for the NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I proposal. 44 pages, 27 figures, 2 tables
Journal reference
DOI
Subjects
astro-ph.IMInstrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics gr-qcGeneral Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

On Hacker News

Linked by 1 identifiable commenter in 15 comments across 15 threads, from Jul 2021 to Apr 2025. Found in 2 HN submissions from Feb 2018 to Apr 2021. Open submission discussions.

Comments linking this paper, per year.

Discussed in comments15 threads

  1. “Most promising signs yet” of alien life on a planet beyond our Solar System 1 comment

    • Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens Mission (with 1 km resolution) https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421 ...and someone made an awesome video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI

      floxyView on HNParent context

  2. Astronomers Amazed by Perfect 'Einstein Ring' Gleaming in Space 1 comment

    • That is awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing the results of unscrambling the ring to see what the galaxy behind looks like. Hopefully someday we will be able to use a solar gravitation lens to look at neighboring exoplanets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI…

      floxyView on HNParent context

  3. IAC confirms existence of a Super-earth in the habitable zone of a Sun-like Star 1 comment

    • And hopefully some day we'll build a solar-gravitation lens to look at the surface of one of these exoplanets: https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421 ...with a very interesting video that someone made on that paper: Someone also made an interesting Youtube video of the concept…

      floxyView on HNParent context

  4. The hunt for life in Alpha Centauri 1 comment

    • Maybe someday... Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens Mission https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421

      floxyView on HNParent context

  5. $200M gift propels scientific research in the search for life beyond Earth 1 comment

    • >Needs new propulsion like nuclear thermal or something to get to target distance in our lifetimes. Here's a cool video describing solar sails that are supposed to be able to accelerate up to a final velocity of 22 AU/year, which get things to 550AU in 25 years.…

      floxyView on HNParent context

  6. A 1990 experiment to test whether we could discern life on Earth remotely 1 comment

    • Here's a fun video on the concept of using gravitational lensing from the sun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI ...along with a different paper, where they are going for 1km resolution: https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421

      floxyView on HNParent context

  7. Webb Discovers Methane, Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere of K2-18B 1 comment

    • "Direct Imaging of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens (1 Km Resolution)": https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421 ...and an excellent video on the topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI

      floxyView on HNParent context

  8. Astronomers witness energetic switch on of black hole 1 comment

    • >solar gravitational lens telescope Here is a great video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI ...and a paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421

      floxyView on HNParent context

  9. Hubble finds black hole twisting captured star into donut shape 1 comment

    • Here is an awesome video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI ...and the paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421

      floxyView on HNParent context

  10. Wolf 1069B: Earth-mass planet in the habitable zone of a nearby, low-mass star 1 comment

    • > multi pixel imaging of the planet would be required to claim direct observation. Here is an interesting proposal for direct imaging of an exoplanet with 1 km resolution: https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421 ...and an interesting youtube video about it…

      floxyView on HNParent context

  11. The Fermi paradox revisited: Technosignatures and the contact era 1 comment

    • >How would we know they are there? How about pointing an optical telescope at them to take a look? Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens Mission https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421

      floxyView on HNParent context

  12. Super-Earths are ideal targets in the search for life 1 comment

    • I'd still like to look at them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421

      floxyView on HNParent context

  13. James Webb telescope's coldest instrument reaches operating temperature 1 comment

    • You may be interested in: Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens Mission https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421

      floxyView on HNParent context

  14. First Ever Image of a Multi-Planet System Around a Sun-Like Star (2020) 1 comment

    • You may be interested in: Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens Mission https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421 ...and an excellent video someone made about that paper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI

      floxyView on HNParent context

  15. Physicists observationally confirm Hawking’s black hole theorem for first time 1 comment

    • >We barely can resolve largest and closest exoplanets into a few pixels For now... https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.08421 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI

      floxyView on HNParent context

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