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Extrasolar planets

Light through a gravitational lens

A planet with a mass lower than that of Neptune has been detected as its gravity bent the light from a remote star. This lensing technique adds to our arsenal for spotting small planets outside the Solar System.

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Figure 1: Limits of the Doppler technique.
Figure 2: Lensing planet.

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Queloz, D. Light through a gravitational lens. Nature 439, 400–401 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/439400a

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