Amateur Astronomers Discover New Planet Using Gravitational Microlensing

Amateur astronomers in New Zealand discovered a massive planet, Ogle 2005 BLG 07/1, through gravitational microlensing. Jenny McCormack and an international team coordinated this discovery using four southern hemisphere telescopes. The planet is 1000 times the size of Earth. The Hubble telescope will be used for further research, and this discovery suggests microlensing could detect Earth-like planets.

Who was involved in the international collaboration that discovered the planet?

• Jenny McCormack

• Albert Einstein

• Isaac Newton

• Galileo Galilei

What is the official name of the planet discovered?

• Ogle 2005 BLG 07/1

• Kepler-22b

• Proxima Centauri b

• TRAPPIST-1e

How does the size of the discovered planet compare to Earth?

• Same size as Earth

• 10 times the size of Earth

• 1000 times the size of Earth

• 100 times the size of Earth

What technique was used to discover the planet?

• Transit photometry

• Direct imaging

• Gravitational microlensing

• Radial velocity

What potential does gravitational microlensing have according to scientists?

• Mapping the Milky Way

• Measuring star temperatures

• Finding Earth-like planets

• Detecting black holes