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This image, taken with the Hubble Space 
Telescope, shows a distant galaxy located in the  

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constellation Fornax. It is the largest and one of 
the most complete Einstein Rings ever discovered.

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This object’s unusual shape is the result of 
gravitational lensing. Albert Einstein, in his  

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general theory of relativity, first theorized that 
a large gravitational field could act as a lens.

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A huge amount of matter, like a cluster of 
galaxies, creates a gravitational field that  

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distorts and magnifies the light from 
distant galaxies that are behind it,  

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but in the same line of sight. The effect is 
like looking through a giant magnifying glass.

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In this case, the light from the background 
galaxy was distorted into the curve we see  

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by the gravity of the galaxy 
cluster sitting in front of it.

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To get this clear an image of the 
far-distant galaxy on its own,  

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Hubble’s 8-foot primary mirror would 
have to have a diameter of 157 feet.

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Objects like these allow us to research 
galaxies that would otherwise be too faint  

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and distant to see in such detail, helping 
us learn more about our amazing universe!