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Near-Perfect Einstein Ring Discovered

Posted by Zonk on from the i-seeeeee-you dept.

Fraser Cain writes "Universe Today is reporting on the discovery of a nearly perfect Einstein Ring; a gravitational lens of a nearby galaxy working as a natural telescope to focus the light from a more distant galaxy. Gravitational lenses have been seen many times before, but never so complete, with a close lensing galaxy and a distant magnified galaxy."

6 of 205 comments (clear)

  1. A fitting discovery for Einstein's year by kkumer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well, this is a nice discovery to celebrate the 100 years of the Einstein's miraculous year and 50 years since the guy passed away.

  2. Hmmm..... by Punboy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    See, now they have a really good reason to get up there and maintain Hubble. I mean seriously, what better reason than to focus hubble on that Einstein ring and get a very upclose view of a distant galaxy

    --
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    1. Re:Hmmm..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      We're going to have more powerful ground based (and therefore maintainable) telescopes very soon. A more important science project to keep alive is the Voyagers. It has taken decades to get them where they are, and the deviation of their trajectories from the predicted trajectories is very valuable to get an idea of the dark matter present in our own solar system.


      The information available from tracking them, can only be obtained again after more decades of having launched a probe, and it is therefore less easily replaceable.

  3. IF we can see them better... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If we can see that universe better, the opposite is true, they can see us better.

    That being said, I want to be the first to welcome our new voyeuristic overlords.

  4. "Nearby"? by theufo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's seven billion lightyears away! The article specifically notes that the great distance makes it even more special.

    And because it's so far away, while still in focus, we can look back further than ever before. It'll be interesting to see some theories about the early universe shattered to pieces.

  5. Re:Einstein's genius by Mr.+Underbridge · · Score: 5, Insightful
    With all the miraculous things he did for the world in the realm of science, one wonders what we'd have if he'd devoted his mind to politics, or computers.

    Something a lot less worthwhile?