Gravitational lensing may be a promising alternate method, although it only works if there is perfect alignment between the Earth, the exoplanet, and the mother star.
Gravitational lensing may be a promising alternate method, although it only works if there is perfect alignment between the Earth, the exoplanet, and the mother star. We know from Einstein’s theory of gravity that light can bend as it moves near a celestial body, because a large mass can alter the fabric of space-time around it. Even if the object is not visible to us, it will change the trajectory of light, just as clear glass does. If a planet moves directly in front of a distant star, the light will be distorted into a ring. This particular pattern is called an Einstein Ring and signals the presence of a substantial mass between the observer and the star.
