On 12/17/2017 6:26 AM, David Spain wrote:
So are there any telescopes in the works that can not only detect
reflected light from exo-planets but can use light arcs around their
home stars to detect them?

Just curious.


Well to be honest I was thinking in terms of "arcs" of reflected light
off a resolved planet more or less acting as a point of light that would
be seen over a long duration plot to detect orbital travel. I wasn't
thinking in terms of gravitational lensing at all. But of course that
might be a better way to go if you don't have the dynamic range to
detect such faint images.

Will the Webb telescope provide any additional capabilities in this
area? Forgive the naive question, astronomy is my hobby not my profession.

David Spain