Galaxy cluster and Einstein ring, Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image. This image includes elliptical and spiral galaxies, seen at various orientations

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Galaxy cluster and Einstein ring, Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image. This image includes elliptical and spiral galaxies, seen at various orientations: from edge-on to face-on. The central object is the galaxy cluster SDSS J0146-0929. The mass of this galaxy cluster is large enough to severely distort the spacetime around it, creating the curves that almost encircle the cluster. These arcs are examples of a gravity lensing phenomenon known as an Einstein ring. The ring is created as the light from a background galaxy is lensed around the intervening galaxy cluster by the force of gravity. Image published in 2018.

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Size: 3908px × 2255px
Photo credit: © ESA/Hubble/NASA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, 2018, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, bending, cluster, einstein, galaxies, galaxy, gravitational, gravity, hst, hubble, j0146-0929, lens, lensed, lensing, light, optical, ring, sdss, space, space-time, spacetime, telescope, universe, visible