Indian Astronomers Discover New Star Ring ‘Kathryn’s Wheel’ 30 Million Light Years Away

## Indian Astronomers Discover New Star Ring ‘Kathryn’s Wheel’ 30 Million Light Years Away

Keywords: Indian astronomers, star ring, galaxy, Kathryn’s Wheel, gravitational lensing, distant galaxy, discovery, space exploration

A team of Indian astronomers has made a remarkable discovery – a new star ring, aptly named “Kathryn’s Wheel,” located a staggering 30 million light-years away. This celestial wonder is not a typical ring-shaped galaxy, but a unique phenomenon resulting from gravitational lensing.

The discovery was made using data from the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Pune, India, and involved meticulous analysis by researchers from the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune.

Gravitational lensing occurs when the gravity of a massive object, like a galaxy or a cluster of galaxies, bends the light from objects behind it. This bending creates a distorted image of the background object, sometimes forming rings or arcs.

In the case of “Kathryn’s Wheel,” the lensing galaxy is a massive elliptical galaxy, while the light source is a much more distant spiral galaxy. The light from the spiral galaxy has been bent and magnified by the elliptical galaxy, creating the ring-like structure.

The discovery of “Kathryn’s Wheel” is significant as it helps us understand the distribution of matter in the universe and how gravity affects light. It also allows astronomers to study distant galaxies in greater detail, even though they are too faint to be observed directly.

This discovery is a testament to the dedication and expertise of Indian astronomers and highlights the significant contributions of Indian science in the field of space exploration. The team hopes to further analyze “Kathryn’s Wheel” to gain insights into the structure and evolution of distant galaxies.