EINSTEIN CROSS

400-8000 million light-years

A chance alignment of a galaxy and a quasar results in this amazing sight captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. The gravitational field of the galaxy (centre) bends the light in its path from a quasar, a super-bright galaxy, about 20 times further away. The exact shape of the gravity field determines how many images of the quasar are seen, and what shape they have.

Credit: Image made in visible light by NASA / ESA.

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