ESA’s Euclid Spacecraft Just Spotted an Einstein Ring for the First Time!

On 1 July 2023, the European Space Agency (ESA) sent their dark universe detective, the Euclid spacecraft, into space on a six-year mission. The first set of images sent back to Earth was received a few months later in September 2023, and it revealed a very stunning phenomenon.

A Very Rare Phenomenon Sighted By The Euclid Spacecraft

After receiving images from the Euclid spacecraft, scientist Bruno Altieri spotted a special phenomenon, hence moving him to study the image closer. This phenomenon is known as the Einstein ring, and it is created when light from a galaxy passes by a massive object like another galaxy, blocking its path to Earth.

Bruno points out that the first images of this phenomenon from the Euclid spacecraft weren’t clear enough. However, after the spacecraft was able to investigate the area more closely, Bruno “could see a perfect Einstein ring.”

This sighting is not only groundbreaking for Bruno Altieri and the European Space Agency but also for the space industry. The sighting of the Einstein ring is a first of its kind despite hiding in plain sight.

The European Space Agency’s Euclid spacecraft sighting of the Einstein ring was made in a galaxy known as NGC 6505. While the ring was spotted in NGC 6505 the light which caused this phenomenon is from a distant galaxy about 4.42 billion light-years away.

This is the first time that this galaxy has been observed, and it doesn’t yet have a name. So not only did the Euclid spacecraft sight an Einstein ring, it also helped us discover a new bright galaxy.

Why Is It Called An Einstein Ring?

The entire concept of the Einstein ring is rooted in Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. This law points out that light travelling from a source can bend in the presence of an obstructing body; this is known as gravitational lensing.

Since the concept was built around the work of Albert Einstein, the observation of this law in space is called an Einstein ring. According to Conor O’Riordan, of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, German, “An Einstein ring is an example of strong gravitational lensing.”