James Webb Telescope Detects Double Gravitational Lens

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has confirmed the existence of an unusual cosmic phenomenon called the 'Einstein zig-zag,' found in the quasar J1721+8842. This phenomenon involves light from the quasar bending through two massive galaxies, creating six mirrored images and a faint Einstein ring, a configuration that researchers described as extremely rare. Initially identified in 2018 as four points of light, the quasar was later revealed to have two additional faint points, leading to a deeper investigation of its structure. The discovery of the Einstein zig-zag could enhance our understanding of gravitational lensing and aid in measuring the Hubble constant, addressing challenges in cosmology. This finding, along with ongoing insights from the JWST, continues to reshape our understanding of the universe's origins and its fundamental properties. Richard Panek highlights that the JWST's contributions to modern astronomy are rapidly evolving the narrative of cosmic genesis.