Einstein’s ring: an unusual gravitational lens of an ecliptic galaxy «stretched» the spiral one behind it

The James Webb «Space Telescope» took a picture of a gravitational lens with a very unusual shape that creates the effect of an Einstein ring.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has named this lens the Einstein ring. It is quite a rare phenomenon when there is another galaxy between us and a distant one. The one closer to us the galaxy is bending space-time, using light from a distant galaxy that would otherwise be impossible to see.

Typically, Einstein rings look something like this:

However, at the center of the image taken by «James Webb» is elliptical galaxy from the SMACSJ0028.2-7537 cluster. Under its gravitational influence, space-time is curved around it. This stretches the image of the spiral galaxy behind it into a ring.

Everything indicates that this rare gravitational lens was formed under very unusual conditions. Probably, the presence of numerous arcs is due to the peculiarities of spirals of a distant galaxy.

The Webb data used in this image was obtained as part of the Strong Lensing and Cluster Evolution (SLICE) study, which is being conducted by Guillaume Mahler of the University of Liege in Belgium with an international team of astronomers. The aim of the study is to Analysis of the evolution of galaxy clusters over the past 8 billion years. With the help of «Webb», astronomers plan to study 182 galaxy clusters.

Such distortions, which create the Einstein ring effect, become possible because space-time is bent by gravity and the light that passes through them is also bent. This effect is too subtle to observe at close distances. However, it can sometimes be seen when it comes to light curvature at astronomical distances. For example, when light from one galaxy bends around another galaxy or a cluster of galaxies.

When the curved object and the curving object line up, the result is a shape called an Einstein ring. Such objects are ideal for studying galaxies that are too distant and not too bright to be seen in any other way.

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Source: ESA