A very rare astronomical phenomenon has been in the headlines recently and for good reason. It will be hundreds of years before we can see Jupiter and Saturn so close to each other.
However, there are some even more “really weird and very rare” phenomena that can currently be observed in our night sky.
The only problem is that to observe this phenomenon, you will need to access Hubble.
As always, Hubble offers an absolutely stunning picture. This one in particular represents a gravitational lensing effect that gives an almost perfect example of an Einstein ring.
The image of this ring, called GAL-CLUS-022058s, or, in a somewhat illustrated astronomical mark, the “Cast Ring”, was released on December 14th.
This brand idea arose in part from the physical appearance of the object, which in fact looks like a molten metal ring.
But it also came from the location of the object itself. Located in the southern constellation of Fornax (the furnace), the image represents an extremely distant galaxy whose light is bent by a much closer cluster of galaxies.
One of the advantages of this lens effect is that it allows scientists to better study the farthest galaxy, which might otherwise have been completely invisible.
The “cosmic horseshoe” is another example of an Einstein ring. (ESA / Hubble and NASA)
While this is not the only known example of the phenomenon happening, it is one of the most striking.
But there is still much more to be found, which Hubble will continue to do, regardless of how the planets in our Solar System align.
This article was originally published by Universe Today. Read the original article.