[ExI] Scientists Find Solar System Like Ours

[Amara Graps]

BillK
>Yes. New distance record just announced.

?
Have you thought about the geometry? 'Distance records' is not the most
relevant to the measurement of extrasolar planets using microlensing.
Draw yourself a picture of the measurement of an extrasolar system using
such an Einstein ring. Now look at the Figures 1 and 2 of the paper just
published with the tiny humps in the photometric light curve indicating
the microlensing events, and tell me if an extended source can do the
same thing. I don't know the answer for sure, but it's sure not as
simple as what your 'Yes' describes.

And notice please that your press news describes measurements from Hubble
and Spitzer. Please tell me how a 10in backyard Meade telescope would
be able to detect the Einstein ring from a cluster of galaxies 2.2 ly
away (the MicroFUN network of amateurs for extrasolar planet
detection depends on a number of these instruments).

Amara
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Amara Graps, PhD      www.amara.com
Research Scientist, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Boulder, Colorado