<p>Theoretically, if a telescope is positioned in a focal point of a supermassive black hole or a star much more massive than the Sun, would there be a limit to how far away an observable planet can be or/and in how much detail we can observe on it? Or are we only limited by the mass and the size of an object used for gravitational lensing?<br />
For example, would it be possible to clearly see single plants, animals or other small objects on a planet 500 light years away, provided the mass and the size of the celestial object we are using for lensing can be anything?</p>
<p>Also would be interesting to learn about exposure time limitations -- i.e. can moving objects be captured provided the telescope is advanced enough, or is this not possible with the SGL method at all, regardless of technical capabilities?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-17T16:07:37.537Z
Does this answer your question?   https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/32888/why-are-there-no-photos-of-exoplanets/35770#35770
Dave Gremlin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-18T06:25:55.170Z
Unfortunately not. What I’m asking is whether the factor of magnification is solely limited by the size and the mass of a body used for SGL, or whether there are other limitations that would prevent us from achieving extreme magnification (say 10 m scale surface resolution from 150 pc). There is no information on that in this answer and article unfortunately.
odddirector
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-18T08:33:22.917Z
*any other limitations apart from the size and mass of the SGL object and of course the distance to the observable object as well. 

Also would be interesting to learn about exposure time limitations -- i.e. can moving objects be captured provided the telescope is advanced enough, or is this not possible with the SGL method at all, regardless of technical capabilities (will add this in the question).
odddirector
<black-hole><gravitational-lensing><telescope-lens>
Could we see small objects like animals on an exoplanet using Solar Gravitational Lensing (SGL) if we could use any star or a black hole for lensing?
odddirector
# Could we see small objects like animals on an exoplanet using Solar Gravitational Lensing (SGL) if we could use any star or a black hole for lensing?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-08-17)

Theoretically, if a telescope is positioned in a focal point of a supermassive black hole or a star much more massive than the Sun, would there be a limit to how far away an observable planet can be or/and in how much detail we can observe on it? Or are we only limited by the mass and the size of an object used for gravitational lensing?  
For example, would it be possible to clearly see single plants, animals or other small objects on a planet 500 light years away, provided the mass and the size of the celestial object we are using for lensing can be anything?

Also would be interesting to learn about exposure time limitations -- i.e. can moving objects be captured provided the telescope is advanced enough, or is this not possible with the SGL method at all, regardless of technical capabilities?

**Tags:** black-hole, gravitational-lensing, telescope-lens

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Does this answer your question?   https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/32888/why-are-there-no-photos-of-exoplanets/35770#35770  
> **username_0**: Unfortunately not. What I’m asking is whether the factor of magnification is solely limited by the size and the mass of a body used for SGL, or whether there are other limitations that would prevent us from achieving extreme magnification (say 10 m scale surface resolution from 150 pc). There is no information on that in this answer and article unfortunately.  
> **username_0**: *any other limitations apart from the size and mass of the SGL object and of course the distance to the observable object as well.   Also would be interesting to learn about exposure time limitations -- i.e. can moving objects be captured provided the telescope is advanced enough, or is this not possible with the SGL method at all, regardless of technical capabilities (will add this in the question).  

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