Hubble Maps Gravitational Lenses to Guide Nasa’s Roman Telescope

WHO:

Phys.org - NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is conducting gravitational-lensing observations in preparation for science with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

NASA - The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is the new telescope for which Hubble’s observations are preparing.

WHAT:

Phys.org - The image shows a barred spiral galaxy and a gravitational lens in the lower-right corner.

Phys.org - A distant background galaxy is magnified and distorted by the gravity of a closer galaxy.

NASA - Hubble has taken multiple images of gravitational lensing as preparation for Roman Space Telescope science.

WHERE:

Phys.org - The gravitational lens appears in the lower-right corner of the image.

WHY:

NASA - Hubble’s gravitational-lensing observations are being conducted in preparation for science with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

HOW:

Phys.org - The closer galaxy’s gravity magnifies and distorts the light from a more distant background galaxy.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 16:21 UTC)

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is observing gravitational lenses to help prepare for science with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. In one image, a barred spiral galaxy appears alongside a gravitational lens in the lower-right corner. The lens forms when a closer galaxy’s gravity bends the light from a much more distant galaxy behind it. That gravity magnifies and distorts the background galaxy, creating a view that would otherwise be difficult to see. Hubble has captured multiple images of gravitational lensing as part of its preparation for Roman’s future observations. The work will help support scientific studies using the new space telescope, which is designed to investigate the universe through wide-ranging observations. Gravitational lensing provides a way to examine distant galaxies by using the effects of gravity on their light.