Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Microlensing of the Einstein Cross

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 15, 1996 is “Microlensing of the Einstein Cross,” an image. It is credited to Credit: G. Lewis (IOA), M. Irwin (RGO), William Hershel Telescope. The original explanation runs about 109 words.

Microlensing of the Einstein Cross
Credit: G. Lewis (IOA), M. Irwin (RGO), William Hershel Telescope Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Explanation : The famous “Einstein Cross” is a case where a single object is seen four times. Here a very distant QSO happened to be placed right behind a massive galaxy .”

— APOD editors, December 15, 1996

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
December 15, 1996
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: G. Lewis (IOA), M. Irwin (RGO), William Hershel Telescope
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 109 words

All of December 1996 → · 1996 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Galaxies

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: December 15 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.