NASA’s Roman Space Telescope will use gravity as a magnifying glass to find distant planets

Massive objects bend light around them, a quirk that opens up unique opportunities for astronomical surveys.

By: Thomas Fauchez, American University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: September 14, 2026

Words: 1,211

Last Updated: 1 month ago

Body Text Preview

By Thomas Fauchez, American University

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched on Aug. 30, 2026, beginning a journey that will take it about a million miles from the Earth. Once there, Roman will study some of the biggest mysteries in astronomy, from dark energy to the formation of galaxies. It will also search for planets around other stars, called exoplanets, but in a rather unusual way.

Roman will be able to find many …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us