Euclid Space Telescope Captures a Rare ‘Einstein Ring’

Context

The Euclid space telescope has captured a stunning Einstein ring, a rare astronomical phenomenon where the light from a distant galaxy is bent and magnified by the gravitational pull of a closer galaxy.

What is an Einstein Ring?

Einstein rings occur due to gravitational lensing, a concept predicted by Albert Einstein in 1915.
In this case, light from an undiscovered galaxy 42 billion light-years away is warped by the gravity of the nearby galaxy NGC 6505, which is only 590 million light-years from Earth.
This effect creates a halo-like ring of light around the foreground galaxy.
Scientific Significance
Extremely rare: Strong gravitational lenses like this one are uncommon and provide key insights into the universe.
Helps in mapping dark matter: The way light bends reveals the distribution of dark matter, the invisible substance that makes up most of the universe’s mass.
A cosmic magnifying glass: The magnified light from distant galaxies allows scientists to study their structure and properties in greater detail.

Fact Box:

Euclid Mission

Launched on July 1, 2023, Euclid is on a six-year mission to map a third of the sky and study the nature of dark matter and dark energy.
The telescope’s powerful imaging capabilities allowed it to discover this Einstein ring in a well-known galaxy first discovered in 1884, highlighting Euclid’s advanced potential.
Euclid will ultimately provide two crucial maps:
- A map of gravitational lensing to track dark matter.
- A map of baryon acoustic oscillations, which will help scientists understand dark energy’s role in the universe’s expansion.

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GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

3rd March 2025 (12 Topics)

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Euclid Space Telescope Captures a Rare ‘Einstein Ring’

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GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

Euclid Space Telescope Captures a Rare ‘Einstein Ring’

Still Have Questions?

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