Gravitational Lensing Characteristics of the Transparent Sun

Understand

The transparent Sun is modeled as a spherically symmetric and centrally condensed gravitational lens using recent Standard Solar Model (SSM) data.

• The Sun's minimum focal length is computed to a refined accuracy of 23.5 +/- 0.1 AU, just beyond the orbit of Uranus.
• The Sun creates a single image of a distant point source visible to observers inside this minimum focal length and to observers sufficiently removed from the line connecting the source through the Sun's center.
• Regions of space are mapped where three images of a distant point source are created, along with their associated magnifications.