NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured an image of a galaxy cluster, named SDSS J1038+4849, that resembles a smiling face.

According to analysis, NASA says the two “eyes” in the face are very bright galaxies and the “smile” lines are arcs formed by an effect known as strong gravitational lensing. The gravitational pull exerted by the galaxy clusters acts as a cosmic lens which can magnify, distort and bend light, as explained by Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

The ring that is formed by the gravitational lensing, known as an Einstein Ring, is produced from the bending of light and the alignment of the source, lens and observer. The Hubble telescope allows astronomers to study such effects.

SDSS J1038+4849 will be studied by Hubble’s Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 and Wide Field Camera 3 as part of a survey of strong gravitational lenses.

Source: NASA