gravitational lensing

einstein_crossThe Einstein cross

The above image shows 4 images of the same object gravitation-ally  lensed by the central object.  This shows the light taking 4 distinct paths through space-time from our frame of reference.

All wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation travel a straight line through space-time.  Mass warps space-time so light passing by a galaxy, black hole or compact stellar object of mass M gets refracted by angle \theta by the equation:.

\theta=\frac {4GM}{rc^2}

a_horseshoe_einstein_ring_from_hubble

The above image is an Einstein Ring which was a prediction made by Albert Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity.

\alpha=\sqrt \frac {4GM}{Dc^2}

 

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