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22h ago

Five-Image Einstein Cross Points to Massive Dark Matter Halo

Peer-reviewed analysis of HerS-3 finds only an unseen central mass can reproduce the configuration.

A rare cosmic configuration: An Einstein Cross with five points of light, instead of the usual four, has been discovered by scientists. (Credit: Nicolás Lira Turpaud (ALMA Observatory) & adapted from Cox et al. 2025)
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Overview

  • A study published September 16 in The Astrophysical Journal reports an unprecedented Einstein Cross with a bright central fifth image from the distant galaxy HerS-3.
  • Lens modeling by Charles Keeton and Lana Eid showed the four visible foreground galaxies cannot explain the pattern without adding a large, invisible halo.
  • The inferred dark matter halo has a mass of several trillion Suns, indicating a group-scale concentration exceeding typical Milky Way estimates.
  • The anomaly was first seen with NOEMA and confirmed with ALMA after checks ruled out instrumental artifacts.
  • The team outlines testable predictions, including possible signatures of outflowing gas, to validate or refine the mass model in future observations.