This is mind blowing, and maybe too good to be feasible. But the idea is very intriguing:

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/proposed-space-telescope-would-use-earth-atmosphere-lens​

That means the terrascope, as Kipping calls his design, could potentially make ultrasensitive measurements, for example, revealing new features of exoplanets, such as mountain ranges or clouds, he says.

 

Why worry about the other stars? Our government says the Aliens are already here!
We can just ask them about all the things we don't know.
Brzrkr

 

Why worry about the other stars? Our government says the Aliens are already here!
We can just ask them about all the things we don't know.
Brzrkr

Beyond doubt there already here ... and they're all malevolent ...

TS link goes to an article from one scientist who thinks the earth's atmosphere could be used as a lens to focus light , collected by a satellite beyond the orbit of the moon ... I could think of a dozen reasons this wouldn't work ... for once I agree with NASA ....

"NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., suggests that the concept is infeasible for a variety of reasons, from the difficulty of blocking out unwanted light from Earth to the possible blurring of images caused by light entering the atmosphere at different heights...."

Its a question of news agencies looking for stories no matter how silly.

 

I actually read the article
I was being a little sarcastic cause it just sounds dumb.
Being so far from all these stars, planets and moons there is just so much information your going to get till your able to actually go there.
This "WE THINK" there could be a planet there that could support life is still only a guess.
Brzrkr