Hubble captures a nice example of intergalactic microlensing
Click for original image.
Cool image time! The picture to the right, cropped to post here, was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released this week. I have specifically cropped it to focus on this ringlike feature, as it one of the nicest examples of micro-lensing I have seen. From the caption:
This curious configuration is the result of gravitational lensing, in which the light from a distant object is warped and magnified by the gravity of a massive foreground object, like a galaxy or a cluster of galaxies. Einstein predicted the curving of spacetime by matter in his general theory of relativity, and galaxies seemingly stretched into rings like the one in this image are called Einstein rings.
The lensed galaxy, whose image we see as the ring, lies incredibly far away from Earth: we are seeing it as it was when the Universe was just 2.5 billion years old. The galaxy acting as the gravitational lens itself is likely much closer. A nearly perfect alignment of the two galaxies is necessary to give us this rare kind of glimpse into galactic life in the early days of the Universe.
I am generally a very big skeptic of most astronomical studies that rely on micro-lensing. I don’t deny it happens and has been detected, as in this case. The uncertainties — such as the unknown distance to intervening galaxy that is causing the lensing — always require too many assumptions that make any reliable conclusions difficult.
Nonetheless, this object illustrates the phenomenon perfectly. The light from the distant galaxy is bent around the intervening nearer galaxy so that we that distant galaxy as a ring.
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Click for original image.
Cool image time! The picture to the right, cropped to post here, was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released this week. I have specifically cropped it to focus on this ringlike feature, as it one of the nicest examples of micro-lensing I have seen. From the caption:
This curious configuration is the result of gravitational lensing, in which the light from a distant object is warped and magnified by the gravity of a massive foreground object, like a galaxy or a cluster of galaxies. Einstein predicted the curving of spacetime by matter in his general theory of relativity, and galaxies seemingly stretched into rings like the one in this image are called Einstein rings.
The lensed galaxy, whose image we see as the ring, lies incredibly far away from Earth: we are seeing it as it was when the Universe was just 2.5 billion years old. The galaxy acting as the gravitational lens itself is likely much closer. A nearly perfect alignment of the two galaxies is necessary to give us this rare kind of glimpse into galactic life in the early days of the Universe.
I am generally a very big skeptic of most astronomical studies that rely on micro-lensing. I don’t deny it happens and has been detected, as in this case. The uncertainties — such as the unknown distance to intervening galaxy that is causing the lensing — always require too many assumptions that make any reliable conclusions difficult.
Nonetheless, this object illustrates the phenomenon perfectly. The light from the distant galaxy is bent around the intervening nearer galaxy so that we that distant galaxy as a ring.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
This light bending also mean that there are stars and galaxies we’ll never see and never know exists. The light from them will get bent, and never reach us.
A bright Halo around a galaxy!
I’ve always said, “you cannot have a Lensing of light without distortion”, “A prism rainbow” as the light at different wave lengths pass through the lens at different angles. in this case the color distortion occurs at the gaps of the circle and not on the outer edges like a Sundog.
The light is scattered when bent. To focus the light, you need a corrective Lens. Take one of your lenses out of your telescope and you’ll see what I mean. (In optics, this is one of the advantages of a mirrored lens as it does not create this rainbow distortion at the edges, mirrored parabola lenses are extremely useful in headlights)
In this case, the distorted circular image around the galaxy is brighter than the galaxy itself. The hidden galaxy must be intensely bright? Also the distortion occurs far outside the near galaxy were it is least likely to be influenced by any gravity/magnetic/time manipulation that would cause it to bend. (Manipulation by these forces would likely slow the light down to a lower wavelength causing it to dim/red shift… Also the further from the galaxy, the weaker the light bending affect).
The galaxy itself seems unaffected by whatever forces that are bending light around it… is that possible when it’s the source of the effect?
The light is blurred, prismed between red and white, fading out in places showing that it’s not uniform which is consistent with a real phenomenon which works in its favor.
But then the brightness mainly occurs on the same side as the focused blue galaxy that the Hubble was taking a picture of in the original. (all blue, very beautiful and unusual) There’s also two very bright stars just outside the picture, as evidenced by the light spikes, which always produces spots on my camera….
If I was to “guess” what we’re looking at, the evidence of no objects in the picture being sharp and clear, is that it is a camera lens issue?
Perhaps a black hole or a magnastar close to us in our own galaxy got caught in the picture to make the halo? (i’m running out of plausible ideas)
I would suggest the Hubble do a follow up focused picture of just that object, it will go a long way to prove or disprove the theory. Better data, better guesses.