Credit: ESA / Hubble and NASA, D. Coe
This extraordinary image from the Hubble NASA / ESA space telescope of the Abell 2813 galaxy cluster (also known as the ACO 2813) has an almost delicate beauty, which also illustrates the remarkable physics at work. The image spectacularly demonstrates the concept of the gravitational lens.
Among the small points, spirals and ovals that are galaxies belonging to the cluster, there are several distinct crescent shapes. These curved arcs of light are not curved galaxies. These are powerful examples of a phenomenon known as the gravitational lens.
Gravitational lenses occur when the mass of an object causes light to bend. Curved crescents and “S” shapes are light from galaxies beyond Abell 2813. The cluster of galaxies has so much mass that it acts as a gravitational lens, bending light from more distant galaxies around it. These distortions can occur in as many different shapes, such as long lines or arcs.
This visual proof that mass determines the bending of light is used as proof of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
The image is a compilation of observations made with the advanced probe camera and the Hubble Space Telescope’s wide-field camera 3.
Image: Hubble sees “melted ring”
Provided by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Citation: Hubble follows the bent cosmic light (2021, April 18) retrieved on April 18, 2021 from https://phys.org/news/2021-04-hubble-cosmic.html
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