The Most Powerful Tool in an Astronomer's Arsenal Is a Lens—but Not the Kind You Might Think

The most powerful tool in an astronomer's arsenal is a lens—but not the kind you might think

Astronomers are living in a golden age of bigger and better telescopes. But even our most advanced technology pales in comparison to the power of nature's own "cosmic magnifying glasses"—strong gravitational lenses.

The most powerful tool in an astronomer’s arsenal is a lens – but not the kind you might think

LRG 3-757, or the Cosmic Horseshoe, where the yellow galaxy has magnified the light of the blue one farther away. NASA, ESAAstronomers are living in a golden age of bigger and better telescopes. But even our most advanced technology pales in comparison to the power of nature’s own “cosmic magnifying glasses” – strong gravitational lenses. In less than 50 years we have gone from the first-ever discovery of a strong gravitational lens to now findi…