Each configuration is in the form of four faint blue images situated symmetrically around a much brighter red elliptical galaxy that act as a lens.
|
A gravitational lens is produced by the
enormous gravitational field of
a massive object which bends light to magnify, brighten and distort the
image of a more distant object.
Each configuration is in the form of four faint blue images situated symmetrically around a much brighter red elliptical galaxy that act as a lens. |
HUBBLE DISCOVERS NEW CLASS OF GRAVITATIONAL
LENS FOR PROBING STRUCTURE OF THE COSMOS
(Kavan Ratnatunga. 18-10-1995)
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This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the rich galaxy cluster Abell 2218 reveals numerous arcs which are difficult to detect with ground-based telescopes because they appear to be so thin. The arcs are the distorted images of a very distant galaxy population extending 5-10 times farther than the lensing cluster. This population existed when the universe was just one quarter of its present age. |
HUBBLE VIEWS DISTANT GALAXIES THROUGH A COSMIC
LENS
(W.Couch. 5-4-1995)
A mysterious gravitational lens
(W.N. Colley and E. Turner. 24-4-1996)