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By NASA
The ring of light surrounding the center of the galaxy NGC 6505, captured by ESA’s Euclid telescope, is an example of an Einstein ring. NGC 6505 is acting as a gravitational lens, bending light from a galaxy far behind it. ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre, G. Anselmi, T. Li; CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO or ESA Standard Licence Euclid, an ESA (European Space Agency) mission with NASA contributions, has made a surprising discovery in our cosmic backyard: a phenomenon called an Einstein ring.
An Einstein ring is light from a distant galaxy bending to form a ring that appears aligned with a foreground object. The name honors Albert Einstein, whose general theory of relativity predicts that light will bend and brighten around objects in space.
In this way, particularly massive objects like galaxies and galaxy clusters serve as cosmic magnifying glasses, bringing even more distant objects into view. Scientists call this gravitational lensing.
Euclid Archive Scientist Bruno Altieri noticed a hint of an Einstein ring among images from the spacecraft’s early testing phase in September 2023.
“Even from that first observation, I could see it, but after Euclid made more observations of the area, we could see a perfect Einstein ring,” Altieri said. “For me, with a lifelong interest in gravitational lensing, that was amazing.”
The ring appears to encircle the center of a well-studied elliptical galaxy called NGC 6505, which is around 590 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. That may sound far, but on the scale of the entire universe, NGC 6505 is close by. Thanks to Euclid’s high-resolution instruments, this is the first time that the ring of light surrounding the galaxy has been detected.
Light from a much more distant bright galaxy, some 4.42 billion light-years away, creates the ring in the image. Gravity distorted this light as it traveled toward us. This faraway galaxy hasn’t been observed before and doesn’t yet have a name.
“An Einstein ring is an example of strong gravitational lensing,” explained Conor O’Riordan, of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Germany, and lead author of the first scientific paper analyzing the ring. “All strong lenses are special, because they’re so rare, and they’re incredibly useful scientifically. This one is particularly special, because it’s so close to Earth and the alignment makes it very beautiful.”
Einstein rings are a rich laboratory for scientists to explore many mysteries of the universe. For example, an invisible form of matter called dark matter contributes to the bending of light into a ring, so this is an indirect way to study dark matter. Einstein rings are also relevant to the expansion of the universe because the space between us and these galaxies — both in the foreground and the background — is stretching. Scientists can also learn about the background galaxy itself.
“I find it very intriguing that this ring was observed within a well-known galaxy, which was first discovered in 1884,” said Valeria Pettorino, ESA Euclid project scientist. “The galaxy has been known to astronomers for a very long time. And yet this ring was never observed before. This demonstrates how powerful Euclid is, finding new things even in places we thought we knew well. This discovery is very encouraging for the future of the Euclid mission and demonstrates its fantastic capabilities.”
A close-up view of the center of the NGC 6505 galaxy, with the bright Einstein ring aligned with it, captured by ESA’s Euclid space telescope.ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre, G. Anselmi, T. Li; CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO or ESA Standard Licence By exploring how the universe has expanded and formed over its cosmic history, Euclid will reveal more about the role of gravity and the nature of dark energy and dark matter. Dark energy is the mysterious force that appears to be causing the universe’s expansion. The space telescope will map more than a third of the sky, observing billions of galaxies out to 10 billion light-years. It is expected to find around 100,000 strong gravitational lenses.
“Euclid is going to revolutionize the field with all this data we’ve never had before,” added O’Riordan.
Although finding this Einstein ring is an achievement, Euclid must look for a different, less visually obvious type of gravitational lensing called “weak lensing” to help fulfil its quest of understanding dark energy. In weak lensing, background galaxies appear only mildly stretched or displaced. To detect this effect, scientists will need to analyze billions of galaxies.
Euclid launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, July 1, 2023, and began its detailed survey of the sky Feb. 14, 2024. The mission is gradually creating the most extensive 3D map of the universe yet. The Einstein ring find so early in its mission indicates Euclid is on course to uncover many more secrets of the universe.
More About Euclid
Euclid is a European mission, built and operated by ESA, with contributions from NASA. The Euclid Consortium — consisting of more than 2,000 scientists from 300 institutes in 15 European countries, the United States, Canada, and Japan — is responsible for providing the scientific instruments and scientific data analysis. ESA selected Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor for the construction of the satellite and its service module, with Airbus Defence and Space chosen to develop the payload module, including the telescope. Euclid is a medium-class mission in ESA’s Cosmic Vision Programme.
Three NASA-supported science teams contribute to the Euclid mission. In addition to designing and fabricating the sensor-chip electronics for Euclid’s Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP) instrument, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory led the procurement and delivery of the NISP detectors as well. Those detectors, along with the sensor chip electronics, were tested at NASA’s Detector Characterization Lab at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Euclid NASA Science Center at IPAC (ENSCI), at Caltech in Pasadena, California, will archive the science data and support U.S.-based science investigations. JPL is a division of Caltech.
Media Contacts
Elizabeth Landau
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0845
elandau@nasa.gov
Calla Cofield
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
626-808-2469
calla.e.cofield@jpl.nasa.gov
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By European Space Agency
Euclid, the European Space Agency’s dark Universe detective, has made an astonishing discovery – right in our cosmic backyard.
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By European Space Agency
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Estonian Space Office have set out to develop Europe's newest space cyber range that aims to make space technology more secure and accessible for companies across Europe. Last year, Estonian industry was invited to submit proposals for concepts, and today the contract has been signed with a consortium led by Spaceit to begin development.
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Lunar Planet Vac, or LPV, is one of 10 payloads set to be carried to the Moon by the Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander in 2025. LPV is designed to efficiently collect and transfer lunar soil from the surface to other science and analysis instruments on the Moon.Photo courtesy Firefly Aerospace Among all the challenges of voyaging to and successfully landing on other worlds, the effective collection and study of soil and rock samples cannot be underestimated.
To quickly and thoroughly collect and analyze samples during next-generation Artemis Moon missions and future journeys to Mars and other planetary bodies, NASA seeks a paradigm shift in techniques that will more cost-effectively obtain samples, conduct in situ testing with or without astronaut oversight, and permit real-time sample data return to researchers on Earth.
That’s the planned task of an innovative technology demonstration called Lunar PlanetVac (LPV), one of 10 NASA payloads flying aboard the next lunar delivery for the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. LPV will be carried to the surface by Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander.
Developed by Honeybee Robotics, a Blue Origin company of Altadena, California, LPV is a pneumatic, compressed gas-powered sample acquisition and delivery system – essentially, a vacuum cleaner that brings its own gas. It’s designed to efficiently collect and transfer lunar soil from the surface to other science instruments or sample return containers without reliance on gravity. Secured to the Blue Ghost lunar lander, LPV’s sampling head will use pressurized gas to stir up the lunar regolith, or soil, creating a small tornado. If successful, material from the dust cloud it creates then will be funneled into a transfer tube via the payload’s secondary pneumatic jets and collected in a sample container. The entire autonomous operation is expected to take just seconds and maintains planetary protection protocols. Collected regolith – including particles up to 1 cm in size, or roughly 0.4 inches – will be sieved and photographed inside the sample container with the findings transmitted back to Earth in real time.
The innovative approach to sample collection and in situ testing could prove to be a game-changer, said Dennis Harris, who manages the LPV payload for the CLPS initiative at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
“There’s no digging, no mechanical arm to wear out requiring servicing or replacement – it functions like a vacuum cleaner,” Harris said. “The technology on this CLPS payload could benefit the search for water, helium, and other resources and provide a clearer picture of in situ materials available to NASA and its partners for fabricating lunar habitats and launch pads, expanding scientific knowledge and the practical exploration of the solar system every step of the way.”
Under the CLPS model, NASA is investing in commercial delivery services to the Moon to enable industry growth and support long-term lunar exploration. As a primary customer for CLPS deliveries, NASA aims to be one of many customers on future flights. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the development of seven of the 10 CLPS payloads carried on Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander.
Learn more about. CLPS and Artemis at:
https://www.nasa.gov/clps
Alise Fisher
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-2546
Alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-2546
Alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
Corinne Beckinger
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256-544-0034
corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Jan 08, 2025 EditorBeth RidgewayContactCorinne M. Beckingercorinne.m.beckinger@nasa.govLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms
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By NASA
6 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
In-person participants L-R standing: Dave Francisco, Joanne Kaouk, Dr. Richard Moon, Dr. Tony Alleman, Dr. Sean Hardy, Sarah Childress, Kristin Coffey, Dr. Ed Powers, Dr. Doug Ebersole, Dr. Steven Laurie, Dr. Doug Ebert; L-R seated: Dr. Alejandro Garbino, Dr. Robert Sanders, Dr. Kristi Ray, Dr. Mike Gernhardt, Dr. Joseph Dervay, Dr. Matt Makowski). Not pictured: Dr. Caroline Fife In June 2024, the NASA Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer (OCHMO) Standards Team hosted an independent assessment working group to review the status and progress of research and clinical activities intended to mitigate the risk of decompression sickness (DCS) related to patent foramen ovale (PFO) during spaceflight and associated ground testing and human subject studies.
Decompression sickness (DCS) is a condition which results from dissolved gases (primarily nitrogen) forming bubbles in the bloodstream and tissues. It is usually experienced in conditions where there are rapid decreases in ambient pressure, such as in scuba divers, high-altitude aviation, or other pressurized environments. The evolved gas bubbles have various physiological effects and can obstruct the blood vessels, trigger inflammation, and damage tissue, resulting in symptoms of DCS. NASA presently classifies DCS into two categories: Type I DCS, which is less severe, typically leads to musculoskeletal symptoms including pain in the joints or muscles, or skin rash. Type II DCS is more severe and commonly results in neurological, inner ear, and cardiopulmonary symptoms. The risk of DCS in spaceflight presents during extravehicular activities (EVAs) in which astronauts perform mission tasks outside the spaceflight vehicle while wearing a pressurized suit at a lower pressure than the cabin pressure. DCS mitigation protocols based on strategies to reduce systemic nitrogen load are implemented through the combination of habitat environmental parameters, EVA suit pressure, and breathing gas procedures (prebreathe protocols) to achieve safe and effective mission operations. The pathophysiology of DCS has still not been fully elucidated since cases occur despite the absence of detected gas bubbles but includes right to left shunting of venous gas emboli (VGE) via several potential mechanisms, one of which is a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO).
From: Dr. Schochet & Dr. Lie, Pediatric Pulmonologists
Reference OCHMO-TB-037 Decompression Sickness (DCS) Risk Mitigation technical brief for additional information.
A PFO is a shunt between the right atrium and the left atrium of the heart, which is a persisting remnant of a physiological communication present in the fetal heart. Post-natal increases in left atrial pressure usually force the inter-septal valve against the septum secundum and within the first 2 years of life, the septae permanently fuse due to the development of fibrous adhesions. Thus, all humans are born with a PFO and approximately 75% of PFOs fuse following childbirth. For the 25% of the population’s whose PFOs do not fuse, ~6% have what is considered by some to be a large PFO (> 2 mm). PFO diameter can increase with age. The concern with PFOs is that with a right to left shunt between the atria, venous emboli gas may pass from the right atrium (venous) to the left atrium (arterial) (“shunt”), thus by-passing the normal lung filtration of venous emboli which prevent passage to the arterial system. Without filtration, bubbles in the arterial system may lead to a neurological event such as a stroke. Any activity that increases the right atrium/venous pressure over the left atrium/arterial pressure (such as a Valsalva maneuver, abdominal compression) may further enable blood and/or emboli across a PFO/shunt.
From: Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences
The purpose of this working group was to review and provide analysis on the status and progress of research and clinical activities intended to mitigate the risk of PFO and DCS issues during spaceflight. Identified cases of DCS during NASA exploration atmosphere ground testing conducted in pressurized chambers led to the prioritization of the given topic for external review. The main goals of the working group included:
Quantification of any increased risk associated with the presence of a PFO during decompression protocols utilized in ground testing and spaceflight EVAs, as well as unplanned decompressions (e.g., cabin depressurization, EVA suit leak). Describe risks and benefits of PFO screening in astronaut candidates, current crewmembers, and chamber test subjects. What are potential risk reduction measures that could be considered if a person was believed to be at increased risk of DCS due to a PFO? What research and/or technology development is recommended that could help inform and/or mitigate PFO-related DCS risk? The working group took place over two days at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and included NASA subject matter experts and stakeholders, as well as invited external reviewers from areas including cardiology, hypobaric medicine, spaceflight medicine, and military occupational health. During the working group, participants were asked to review past reports and evidence related to PFOs and risk of DCS, materials and information regarding NASA’s current experience and practices, and case studies and subsequent decision-making processes. The working group culminated in an open-forum discussion where recommendations for current and future practices were conferred and subsequently summarized in a final summary report, available on the public NASA OCHMO Standards Team website.
The following key findings are the main take-aways from the OCHMO independent assessment:
In an extreme exposure/high-risk scenario, excluding individuals with a PFO and treating PFOs does not necessarily decrease the risk of DCS or create a ‘safe’ environment. It may create incremental differences and slightly reduce overall risk but does not make the risk zero. There are other physiological factors that also contribute to the risk of DCS that may have a larger impact (see 7.0 Other Physiological Factors in the findings section). Based on the available evidence and the risk of current decompression exposures (based on current NASA protocols and NASA-STD-3001 requirements to limit the risk of DCS), it is not recommended to screen for PFOs in any spaceflight or ground testing participants. The best strategy to reduce the risk of DCS is to create as safe an environment as possible in every scenario, through effective prebreathe protocols, safety, and the capability to rapidly treat DCS should symptoms occur. Based on opinion, no specific research is required at this time to further characterize PFOs with DCS and altitude exposure, due to the low risk and preference to institute adequate safe protocols and ensuring treatment availability both on the ground and in spaceflight. For engineering protocols conducted on the ground, it should be ensured that the same level of treatment capability (treatment chamber in the immediate vicinity of the testing) is provided as during research protocols. The ability to immediately treat a DCS case is critical in ensuring the safety of the test subjects. The full summary report includes detailed background information, discussion points from the working group, and conclusions and recommendations. The findings from the working group and resulting summary report will help to inform key stakeholders in decision-making processes for future ground testing and spaceflight operations with the main goal of protecting crew health and safety to ensure overall mission success.
Summary Report About the Author
Sarah D. Childress
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Last Updated Dec 31, 2024 Related Terms
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