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In a particularly stunning example of the Einstein Cross, astronomers have discovered a supernova that can be observed again and again. Gravitational lensing effects result in the light from the stellar explosion taking 4 different routes, each route taking a different amount of time to reach Earth. The star SN Refsdal is/was 9.3 billion light years from Earth, while the lensing galaxy cluster MACS J1149.6+2223 sits a little closer at 5 billion light years distant.
While this isn't the first example of the Einstein Cross effect proposed in 1969, it is the first example of a supernova being viewed through one.
The full paper is available on Sciencemag.org for a fee, but Physics World has an adequate summary of the discovery.
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Einstein Cross Shows Us the Same Supernova Explosion Four Times
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(Score: 4, Funny) by pkrasimirov on Saturday March 07 2015, @02:19PM
It seems the news also go via Einstein Cross. That's okay because I didn't get it the first time. Much like some memes.
P.S. Did you hear about the ice bucket challenge yet?
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 07 2015, @02:26PM
I took the ice bucket challenge. I soaked my scrotum in a bucket of ice water until it turned blue, like my friends challenge me to. It hurt a lot. I still don't understand how I helped fight cancer, but whatever. I did my part in this battle against a deadly killer.