(Image credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, G. Gozaliasl, A. Koekemoer, M. Franco)Quick facts
What it is: A group of eight “Einstein rings,” more precisely known as gravitational lenses
Where it is: Outer space
When it was shared: September 30, 2025
As telescopes gaze out into the cosmos, they sometimes observe rare occurrences that amplify distant objects. These eight galaxies, recently captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), look elongated, distorted, or even shaped into complete circles.
Envision space as a pliable material. When a hefty object, such as a galaxy, rests upon that material, it curves the surrounding space. When light emitted from a further galaxy goes through this bent space, its direction is altered. Should the positioning be perfect, the background galaxy’s light gets morphed into arcs or rings. This occurrence can give rise to a radiant circle of light referred to as an Einstein ring, bearing the name of Albert Einstein, who foretold this bizarre happening over a century ago. Nevertheless, incomplete arcs and rings are more typical.
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Gravitational lensing assists astronomers in observing farther and with greater clarity than ever before. These lenses broaden and boost light from very remote galaxies that would otherwise be unseen. They also enable researchers to assess the mass of galaxies, including elusive dark matter that cannot be directly perceived.
These remarkable fresh deep-field galaxy images stem from a venture known as COSMOS-Web, among the most extensive observing programs performed using JWST. Scientists dedicated 255 hours aiming the telescope at more than 42,000 galaxies and detected over 400 potential instances of Einstein rings. The eight displayed here are some of the most striking.
Possibly the most notable is the second image along the top. It presents COSJ100024+015334, a flawless circle that exposes a galaxy as it was when the universe was merely a billion years old — a portion of its present estimated age (over 13 billion years).
Some of the galaxies had been viewed before using the Hubble Space Telescope, but JWST’s more refined infrared sight unveils details that were completely concealed until now. Others constitute brand-new finds, encompassing galaxies reddened by dust and distance.
The infrequent arrangements that produce Einstein rings allow astronomers to examine the fundamental constituents of galaxies, star groupings, and exploding stars. These windows into the remote past reveal the way galaxies took shape and the method by which dark matter molded the cosmos in its initial phases.
For additional magnificent space images, explore our Space Photo of the Week archives.
TOPICSspace photo of the weekJames Webb Space Telescope
Jamie CarterSocial Links NavigationLive Science contributor
Jamie Carter is a freelance reporter and frequent Live Science giver situated in Cardiff, U.K. He is the originator of A Stargazing Program For Beginners and gives lectures concerning astronomy and the natural world. Jamie routinely contributes to Space.com, TechRadar.com, Forbes Science, BBC Wildlife magazine and Scientific American, along with numerous others. He supervises WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com.
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