James Webb has captured an image of a cosmic mirage, showcasing the same galaxy three different times in one snapshot.
The James Webb Space Telescope continues to peer into the recesses of our universe. One of its latest images takes advantage of a cosmic effect known as gravitational lensing, allowing scientists to peer further through the universe than might normally be possible. The result, though, is a cosmic mirage, allowing Webb to pick up the same galaxy at three distinctly different points in time.at all, then you’ll know that looking at galaxies far, far away is like looking back in time.
This annotated image showcases the three different times Webb picked up the transient AT 2022riv. Image source: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, P. Kelly In this case, the galaxy that we’re seeing mirrored through time is a supernova-hosting galaxy known as AT 2022riv. This galaxy, which is located far from our own, is only visible thanks to gravitational lensing caused by a galaxy cluster known as RX J2129. By using the strong gravity of the galaxy cluster to peer deeper into the universe, scientists were able to catch sight of the cosmic mirage.
The mirage is so spectacular because it showcases AT 2022riv’s supernova at three different points in time. The first image showcases the supernova, while the second image is roughly 320 days later. At that point, the supernova has already faded. The final appearance within the cosmic mirage is approximately 1000 days after the first.
This phenomenon is spectacular because it allows us to see just how strong the effects of gravitational lensing can be. Further, if we can repeat this mirage-like event in other observations, we could further inspect important cosmic events, giving scientists more data to decipher and learn from.
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