We could use Earth's atmosphere as a giant lens for a space telescope

By Abigail Beall

Stocktrek

Astronomers have a photon problem. They need more of these light particles from the right places, like distant stars and exoplanets, and less of them from light pollution and artificial satellites. To do this, they need bigger telescopes – and now, an astronomer has suggested turning the entire Earth into a kind of lens that could solve this, and potentially help us find the signatures of life on exoplanets.

The “terrascope” would take advantage of the way light deflects as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere. “This deflection means that distant light sources behind the Earth will have their rays converge towards a …