Strong lensing

Strong lensing occurs when a massive object, like a galaxy or cluster of galaxies, bends the light from a more distant object, such as another galaxy or quasar, due to the gravitational effects described by Einstein's General Relativity. This bending can create distorted, magnified, or multiple images of the distant object around the massive foreground lens. Strong lensing helps astronomers study the distribution of dark matter, the properties of distant galaxies, and the expansion of the universe, revealing more about cosmic structures and the nature of gravity.