Space - Triply imaged supernova tests cosmic distance measurements
Space · 0:45
The James Webb Space Telescope has observed the massive galaxy cluster RX J2129, located three point two billion light-years away in the constellation Aquarius. Gravity from the cluster warps surrounding spacetime, splitting the light of a background galaxy into three distinct images. Inside this distorted galaxy lies a distant Type Ia supernova, an explosion of uniform intrinsic brightness. By measuring the amplified supernova, astronomers can calibrate the magnifying power of the cosmic lens and verify critical methods used to calculate distances across the universe.
Source: ESA/Webb
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