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gravitational lens
(redirected from Gravitational lenses)

   Also found in: Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
gravitational lens
n.
A massive celestial object, such as a galaxy, whose gravity bends and focuses the light of a more distant object, resulting in a magnified, distorted, or multiple image of the original light source for a distant observer.

gravitational lens
A massive celestial object, such as a galaxy, whose gravity can act as a lens that functions to bend and focus the light of a more distant object. This results in a magnified, distorted, or multiple image of the original light source for a distant observer.

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Using Sloan data, the team picked out large, elliptical galaxies capable of acting as gravitational lenses.
For instance, astronomers can measure the density of small galaxies or the cores of larger galaxies by determining how well they act as gravitational lenses.
Tyson adds that the prevalence of gravitational lenses provides another test of whether or not the universe has revved up the rate at which it is expanding, as recent studies of distant supernovas have indicated (SN: 4/7/01, p.
 
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