A Telescope at the Solar Gravitational Lens: Problems and Solutions

Abstract: Due to the bending of light by gravity, the gravity of sun forms a lens. In principle, a spacecraft sent to the distance of the solar gravitational focus could be used as a gravitational lens telescope. One example of such a mission would be to use the gravitational lens to image an extrasolar planet around a nearby star. The practical difficulties with this concept are discussed, and some approaches to mitigating these difficulties suggested.