Found an Einstein Ring in Distant Universe

Forums › Science

Georges H
Georges H
Joined: 5 Jun 05
Posts: 2
Credit: 6496960
RAC: 0
3 Jul 2005 10:44:03 UTC
Topic 189478
(moderation:
    )

    Hi folks,

    I've currently read an interesting article on a german news site about an Einstein Ring
    http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/weltraum/0,1518,363169,00.html

    Similar articles in English
    http://www.hq.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/pr-2005/phot-20-05.html
    http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7614&feedId=online-news_rss20
    http://www.physorg.com/news4853.html

    Greets from Luxembourg,

    Georges

    Chipper Q
    Chipper Q
    Joined: 20 Feb 05
    Posts: 1540
    Credit: 708571
    RAC: 0

    Found an Einstein Ring in Distant Universe

    3 Jul 2005 16:35:07 UTC
    Message 13747
    (moderation:
      )


      Magnificent...

      Considering the relative motions between the two galaxies and observers, and the immense distances between them, how long will the ring last (be visible as such)? Will it be hundreds of years, or thousands of years, or millions of years?

      Georges H
      Georges H
      Joined: 5 Jun 05
      Posts: 2
      Credit: 6496960
      RAC: 0

      RE: Considering the

      3 Jul 2005 18:37:20 UTC
      Message 13748 in response to message 13747
      (moderation:
        )

        Quote:
        Considering the relative motions between the two galaxies and observers, and the immense distances between them, how long will the ring last (be visible as such)? Will it be hundreds of years, or thousands of years, or millions of years?

        Well as a computer science student I can't tell you...

        I suggest that we can se the ring as long as the galaxy which acts as a lense is between us (our earth) and the other very distant galaxy ;-)

        On one of the sites which I mentioned above you'll also find a very interesting scientifical paper describing this research.
        http://www.edpsciences.org/articles/aa/pdf/press-releases/PRAA200510.pdf

        Georges

        MarkF
        MarkF
        Joined: 12 Apr 05
        Posts: 393
        Credit: 1516715
        RAC: 0

        Can't give precise answer

        3 Jul 2005 19:42:36 UTC
        Message 13749
        (moderation:
          )

          Can't give precise answer because there are too many unknowns. Because of the vast distances the any change in relative positons of the two galaxies would be extermly slow. If the relative traverse velocity of the nearer galaxy is 1 kilometer per second it would take about 11,600,000 years to shift the alignment by 1 milli-arsecond.
          I can't say for certain if the various numbers are represenative but I beleive they are in the correct range.

          Chipper Q
          Chipper Q
          Joined: 20 Feb 05
          Posts: 1540
          Credit: 708571
          RAC: 0

          RE: On one of the sites

          3 Jul 2005 20:45:39 UTC
          Message 13750 in response to message 13748
          (moderation:
            )

            Quote:

            On one of the sites which I mentioned above you'll also find a very interesting scientifical paper describing this research.
            http://www.edpsciences.org/articles/aa/pdf/press-releases/PRAA200510.pdf


            Strained the gray matter reading that one, but it was worth it:

            Quote:

            Additional observations are clearly required to further constrain
            this lens, and to study the interstellar medium and the
            stellar populations at a look-back time of 88% of the present
            age of the universe.


            Studying the evolution of this ring should provide some very valuable data.

            Revolution
            Revolution
            Joined: 17 Jun 05
            Posts: 11
            Credit: 14349
            RAC: 0

            I've read of quite a few

            9 Jul 2005 4:38:19 UTC
            Message 13751
            (moderation:
              )

              I've read of quite a few discoveries of gravitational lensing. One even where the lensing distortion was removed to reveal the major features (shape?) of the distant galaxy.

              Comment viewing options

              Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

              Forums › Science