Galaxy Cluster SDSS J1110+6459

At first glance, a bright blue crescent immediately jumps out of this Hubble Space Telescope image. Is it a bird? A plane? Evidence of extraterrestrial life? No — it’s a galaxy. The shape of this galaxy admittedly appears to be somewhat bizarre. This is due to a cosmic phenomenon called gravitational lensing. In this image, the gravitational influence of a massive galaxy cluster (called SDSS J1110+6459) is causing its surrounding space-time to bend and warp, affecting the passage of any nearby light. A few more signs of lensing (streaks, blobs, curved lines, distorted shapes) can be seen dotted around this area.