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8 hours ago
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Space
Two massive galaxies are bending light from the same distant quasar, creating a so-called Einstein zigzag lens that could help astronomers pin down how quickly the universe is expanding
By Alex Wilkins
The brightest white spots and the red arc are six images of the same quasar created by the lensing effect of two galaxies, one of which is seen as the light patch in the centre F. Dux et al.
A chance alignment between two massive galaxies could help astronomers better measure the expansion of the universe and shed light on the mysterious nature of dark energy.
While working on his general theory of relativity, Albert Einstein predicted that light from distant galaxies and stars should be bent by the gravity of very massive objects, similar to how a glass lens…
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