NRAO

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April 3, 2003

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Dave Finley, Public Information Officer
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dfinley@nrao.edu

Giant Cosmic Lens Reveals Secrets of Distant Galaxy



Artist's conception of the disk of star-forming gas around the center of the galaxy hosting the quasar PSS J2322+1944. The disk is about 13,000 light-years in diameter. The luminous quasar, powered by the infall of matter into a supermassive black hole, is at the center.
(Click on Image for Larger Version)
Credit: Geraint Lewis, University of Sydney, NRAO/AUI/NSF






Optical (visible-light) image of quasar PSS J2322+1944, made at the W.M. Keck Observatory, showing twin images indicating gravitational lensing (left). At right, a VLA image showing redshifted CO gas emission, revealing the "Einstein Ring" lens effect. The crosses in this image indicate locations of the optical quasar images.
(Click on Image for Larger Version)
Credit: G. Djorgovski; C. Carilli et al., NRAO/AUI/NSF


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