Astronomers from the European Space Agency’s Euclidean mission have made a significant discovery, capturing a rare phenomenon known as an Einstein ring while testing their newly launched telescope, which aims to explore the Dark Universe. An Einstein ring occurs when light from a distant galaxy bends around a foreground galaxy, creating a ring-like structure. This particular observation involved the galaxy NGC 6505 and revealed a ring formed from light distorted by another galaxy located 4.42 billion light years away.
The telescope’s advanced sensitivity allowed researchers to see the ring in detail, demonstrating its potential for future discoveries. The first observations of the Einstein ring, detailed in a recent study, provide insight into the mass and composition of the distant galaxy. Einstein rings are vital in studying dark matter and dark energy, as they reveal critical information about the universe’s structure.
The Euclidean mission, underway for six years, aims to map a significant portion of the universe and is expected to substantially increase the number of known Einstein rings, aiding our understanding of cosmic phenomena.
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