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Explained in plain English

What is gravitational microlensing?

This is a phenomenon where the gravity of a massive object, like Phoebe, bends and magnifies the light from a more distant star. It acts like a cosmic magnifying glass, making the background star appear temporarily brighter. This is how astronomers detected Phoebe, as it passed in front of a star in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Stories that explain this

Mysterious space object Phoebe might be a tiny black hole from Big Bang

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