The Solar Gravitational Lens will Map Exoplanets. Seriously.

The Solar Gravitational Lens will Map Exoplanets. Seriously, there's a real plan to do just that. Using the Sun to gravitationally lens an exoplanet into an Einstein ring turns the Sun into the most powerful telescope in our solar system. But it's not science fiction. Plans are underway at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to send solar sails to the solar gravitational lens focus to make the first ever image of an exoplanet's surface, and do it within our lifetime!

00:00 Start
01:20 Ordinary telescopes vs. gravitational lensing
04:42 Distances involved
06:28 Imaging with the Sun
13:09 Mission overview and solar sails
16:52 in situ telescope assembly
20:56 NIAC studies
22:58 Thank you's




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Watch next: Solar Orbiter Discovers Surprising new Phenomenon in the Sun
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[peebherault]

That is one of the most inspiring science based videos I've ever watched. Hopefully it gets more people fired up about what is over the horizon. Thanks for the great insight.

[maxfmfdm]

Man this is insane. I feel like someone realizing the potential of the transistor for the first time. I never thought we could actually image exoplanets in my lifetime.

[whitekaminari]

The depth of information available in this video is what sets it apart from other clickbait popular science videos. Subscribed!

There's so much work that goes unnoticed by the general population. Thank you so much for explaining with high level of detail what the researches are doing right now!
I wouldn't mind watching one hour of content like this.

[Daddybernardo]

That human beings have come up with an ingenious idea like this blows my mind and humbles me immensely. The collective imagination of all these scientists is inspiring.

[isbestlizard]

imagine doing all that and discovering the planet is a perfectly smooth colour like uranus XD

[Olebull]

I would like to award you the highest honor I can bestow you Christian. (Saves video in favorite folder)

[Resomius]

God, I love those rocket scientists and astronomers:
They achieve the equivalent of taking a photo of a Seals whiskers in Antarctica. Out of Washington.

[captainmidnight]

"...and this is why we can't have nice things" Extremely well produced, informative, yet subtly humorous video.

Bravo sir. Well done!

[deendan]

This is one of the best videos I have seen in ages. Thank you very much for sharing this! I didnt know your channel but I instantly subbed after watching. Not only you fully covered the topic in an interesting, well animated and humorous way. You also answered every single question that popped up in my head on the fly which saved me from a wikipedia marathon after watching this. Thank you very much for this video. This work of yours is worth sharing with others(and so did I) making the internet a better place to spend time as a human.

[michaelg.]

That is one of the most complicated but yet most informative science videos I have ever watched (also not in my native language) I appreciate your effort and your very deep sense for detail and humor :) Keep going. I am looking forward for more content.

[Lilmiket]

ha, Imagine if we actually did this. sighs it would be like the moon landing all over again. our first glimpse into a distant star system.

[johnvonhorn]

Even if this takes another 250 years to arrive it's amazing to see how fast science and technology are progressing. This is incredible. Thanks for a great presentation. Scientists are awesome.

[nyax]

Best astronomy video i have watched on youtube this year. Thanks bud!

[nouribrahim]

“Encyclopedia Galactica, ” that gave me shivers down my spine (in a good way) 🤩 😁

[JobBouwman]

"Your friendly neighborhood astronomer" ?
*Closes the curtains*

[mongomoonbladder]

The most brilliant science video I've seen for ages... Sadly i'll be dead before this comes to pass....but by then I'm kind of hoping that I'll be a brain in a tank that's connected to the outside world.

[dlt]

I do not believe I've ever been this caught off guard by a video before. Bravo! The future is exciting!

[SquirrelASMR]

The technology and precision required to do this is so inspiring that we can do it.

[Baggydawg]

This is absolutely incredible!! When you look back and wonder how the ancient scientists managed to get such a handle on reality and physics before any of our modern technology, you learn they were ingenious in working around their limitations, using ostensibly primitive tools. We are in but another phase of this; before we have more concrete ways of actually imaging planets, we are using our primitive workarounds with the aid of pure human ingenuity! Great video.