In his January story, Ray Villard delved into the physics and uses behind “How gravity’s grand illusion reveals the universe.” Thanks to the space-time-warping properties of mass, a big enough object like a galaxy or even just a star can alter the path of light traveling near it. As Villard explains, this isn’t just a fun quirk of the universe — it’s a valuable tool that allows astronomers to see farther than they otherwise could and map what otherwise would be completely invisible.
Astronomy magazine subscribers can read the full article for free. Just make sure you're registered with the website.