Rube Goldberg lensing

Rube Goldberg lensing describes a complex, indirect process where a massive object, like a galaxy or galaxy cluster, distorts the light from a more distant source due to gravity. This gravitational bending acts like a cosmic magnifying glass, making the background object appear brighter, stretched, or multiple. Named after Rube Goldberg’s intricate machines, this “lens” effect involves a chain of gravitational influences that funnel and bend light along a convoluted path, allowing us to observe otherwise hidden or faint cosmic phenomena.