A very rare astronomical phenomenon has recently appeared in the headlines and for good reason. It will be hundreds of years before we can see Jupiter and Saturn again.
However, there are some and more “really strange and very rare phenomena” that can be observed today in our night sky.
The only problem is that in order to observe this phenomenon, you will need access to Hubble.
As always, Hubble offers an absolutely stunning picture. This describes a gravitational lensing effect that provides an almost perfect example of an Einstein ring.
The image of this ring, called GAL-CLUS-022058s, or, in an illuminated fragment of astronomical branding, “Melted Ring”, was released on December 14.
This branding idea came in part from the physical appearance of the object, which really looks like a molten metal ring.
But it also came from the location of the object itself. Located in the southern constellation Fornax, the image depicts an extremely distant galaxy whose light is bent by a much closer group of galaxies.
One of the advantages of this lensing effect is that it allows scientists to better study the more distant galaxy, which might otherwise have been completely invisible.
The “cosmic horseshoe” is another example of an Einstein ring. (ESA / Hubble and NASA)
Although this is not the only known example of the phenomenon that is happening, it is one of the most striking.
But there is still much to be found, which Hubble will continue to do, no matter how the planets of our solar system align.
This article was originally published by Universe Today. Read the original article.