Gravitationally Lensed Quasar

This remarkable image is the result of a gravitational lens, an intervening body massive enough to form multiple images of a distant quasar, by the gravitational deflection of light. Two images of the quasar are seen in this radio map - the A image is the bright point-like image north of center, and the B image is the bright point-like image south of center. The weak image just north of the B image coincides with the center of a large galaxy observed in the optical, which, along with the rich cluster of galaxies it lies in, is believed to be acting as the gravitational lens. The rest of the images seen in the map are due to extended radio emission associated with the quasar which have not been multiply imaged. The colors represent the intensity of the radio emission - red is bright, and blue is dim.

VLA in hybrid configuration using 18 antennas. Resolution is 0.8 x 0.4 arcsec.

Legacy Astronomical Images

NRAO/AUI/NSF does not hold full copyright for this image. Contact the archivist for details.

Legacy Astronomical Image

RGB J1001+558B

P. E. Greenfield, D. H. Roberts, B. F. Burke

Very Large Array (VLA)

1979-10-13

continuum

C

6 cm

4.885 GHz

RA 10:1:20.860, Dec: 55:53:49.900 (J2000)

0.005333 x 0.005333 degrees

Miscellaneous Series

Cosmology Unit