The European Space Agency's Euclid telescope, launched in July 2023, has captured an unprecedented image of an Einstein ring, a rare cosmic phenomenon resulting from gravitational lensing. The discovery occurred during the telescope's calibration phase, showcasing its sensitivity and potential for future observations.
The Einstein ring was found around the galaxy NGC 6505, located approximately 590 million light-years from Earth. The ring is formed by the distorted light of a more distant, previously unobserved galaxy 4.42 billion light-years away. This alignment allows scientists to study the mass and composition of the distant galaxy.
Researchers have published an in-depth study of the Euclid images in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. The discovery provides a unique opportunity to investigate dark matter and dark energy. Analysis of the Einstein ring revealed that dark matter accounts for only 11% of the mass in the central region of NGC 6505, contrasting with the universe's overall composition of 85% dark matter.
Euclid's mission is to create a 3D map of the universe, observing billions of galaxies across a third of the sky. While strong gravitational lenses like this are rare, Euclid is expected to detect thousands of other gravitational lenses, contributing to a detailed understanding of matter distribution and the evolution of dark matter and dark energy.