Say 'Cheese!' Hubble Space Telescope Captures New Image of a Smiling Galaxy Cluster

Say "cheese!" The NASA Hubble Space Telescope has captured an image of the galaxy cluster SDS J1038+4849 that makes it look as if the galaxy itself is smiling. But the new image isn't just a pretty face; it also tells astronomers a bit more about this galaxy.

In this latest image, you can see two orange eyes, a white button nose, and a bluish smile. The two "eyes" are actually very bright galaxies, and the smile lines are actually arcs that are caused by an effect known as strong gravitational lensing.

Galaxy clusters are some of the most massive structures in the universe. They're so large, in fact, that they exert a powerful gravitation pull that can warp the spacetime around them. This, in turn, causes them to act as a cosmic lens; they can magnify, distort and bend the light behind them.

In this case of gravitational lensing, what is known as an Einstein Ring is produced from the bent light. This is a consequence of the exact and symmetrical alignment of the source, lens and observer.

This latest image is actually entered into the Hubble's Hidden Treasures image processing competition. It also shows how gravitational lensing can change what is observed in space. This is especially important to keep in mind when it comes to investigating galaxies in the future.

Want to learn more about the Hubble Hidden Treasures program? You can check it out here.

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