Space Telescope Spots Rare ‘Einstein Ring’ of Light Around Galaxy in Our Cosmic Neighborhood

Space Telescope Spots Rare ‘Einstein Ring’ of Light Around Galaxy in Our Cosmic Neighborhood
A ring of light surrounding the center of the galaxy NGC 6505, captured by European Space Agency's Euclid telescope, an example of an Einstein ring. European Space Agency via AP
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—Europe’s Euclid space telescope has detected a rare halo of bright light around a nearby galaxy, astronomers reported Monday.

The halo, known as an Einstein ring, encircles a galaxy 590 million light-years away, considered close by cosmic standards. A light-year is 5.8 trillion miles.