The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
The “smile” in Hubble’s image of galaxy cluster SDSS J1038+4849 is a pattern made by gravitational lensing, not a literal face. Two bright galaxies look like eyes, a smaller bright galaxy resembles a nose, and curved arcs of light from galaxies farther away form the grin.
Why does SDSS J1038+4849 look like it is smiling?
The foreground galaxy cluster’s gravity bends light from objects behind it. That distortion stretches the background galaxies’ light into bright, curved arcs. In this image, the arcs happen to fall in a smile-like arrangement beneath the two bright galaxies.
NASA’s Photojournal description puts it plainly: “Those eyes are actually very bright galaxies, and the smile lines are, in reality, arcs caused by an effect known as strong gravitational lensing.” NASA Photojournal image record PIA18794 describes the image; the related NASA Hubble mission article credits its text to ESA.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWhat is the Einstein-ring-like feature?
NASA describes the ring-like structure as an Einstein Ring, produced when a background source, a massive lens, and the observer are closely and symmetrically aligned. The arcs in this picture create a ring-like smile, but that does not mean every smile-shaped lensing arc is a complete, geometrically perfect ring.
#1 Best Overall
- Decoration: Elevate your home decor with stunning universe canvas wall art that adds a pop of color and beauty to any living room, bedroom, kitchen, nursery, hallway or office space
- Delicate: Our high-quality canvas and printing technology ensure that your universe pictures come to life on your walls, with vivid colors and sharp details
- Simple: Easy to hang and durable, our universe canvas wall art is lightweight, water resistant, hook pre-installed on the back and ready to hang
- Gift: Perfect for gift-giving, our universe canvas wall art is a thoughtful and unique present for any occasion, whether it's a housewarming, birthday, or holiday gift
- Size: With modern canvas art dimension, 40 inches wide and 20 inches high
The cluster is the foreground lens: its mass curves spacetime and redirects light traveling toward us. Depending on how source and lens line up, the background light can be magnified, stretched into arcs, or seen as multiple images. NASA explains these outcomes in its gravitational-lensing overview.
Why gravitational lensing matters to astronomers
- It can reveal faint, distant objects. Lensing magnifies background galaxies, making some objects easier to observe than they would be without the foreground cluster.
- It helps map mass that cannot be seen directly. Astronomers use the distortions in lensed light to model the mass of a cluster, including its dark matter. NASA discusses this application in its lensing explainer and dark matter overview.
About the Hubble image
NASA’s Photojournal lists the image as PIA18794, titled “Smile, and the Universe Smiles With You,” and gives its addition date as February 10, 2015. The Hubble mission article, “Hubble Sees a Smiling Lens,” was published February 9, 2015, and was last updated March 28, 2025. Its image credit is NASA, ESA, Michael Gladders (University of Chicago), with acknowledgement to Judy Schmidt, who submitted a version to the Hubble Hidden Treasures image-processing competition.
Rank #2
- Decoration: Elevate your home decor with stunning universe canvas wall art that adds a pop of color and beauty to any living room, bedroom, kitchen, nursery, hallway or office space
- Delicate: Our high-quality canvas and printing technology ensure that your universe pictures come to life on your walls, with vivid colors and sharp details
- Simple: Easy to hang and durable, our universe canvas wall art is lightweight, water resistant, hook pre-installed on the back and ready to hang
- Gift: Perfect for gift-giving, our universe canvas wall art is a thoughtful and unique present for any occasion, whether it's a housewarming, birthday, or holiday gift
- Size: With modern canvas art dimension, 48 inches wide and 24 inches high
The object was studied with Hubble’s Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) and Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) as part of a survey of strong gravitational lenses. The Photojournal metadata specifically lists WFPC2 for this archive entry. NASA’s image-detail page gives the image dimensions as 1280 by 1263 pixels; the Photojournal record offers JPEG and TIFF downloads.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
The official image pages do not establish the cluster’s distance or identify the individual background galaxy or galaxies that produce the arcs. No distance, redshift, cluster mass, or magnification value is specified there.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- High Definition Giclee modern canvas printing artwork, photo picture printed on high quality canvas.
- Stretched and framed, each panel has a black hook for easy mounting on wooden bars for easy hanging.
- A perfect wall art for living room, bedroom, kitchen, office, Hotel, dining room, office, bathroom, bar etc..
- If there is a problem with your order, be sure to contact us. Believe that we can make you satisfied through our efforts. We hope it is not only transaction, but also make your life better.
Rank #4
- Decoration: Elevate your home decor with stunning universe canvas wall art that adds a pop of color and beauty to any living room, bedroom, kitchen, nursery, hallway or office space
- Delicate: Our high-quality canvas and printing technology ensure that your universe pictures come to life on your walls, with vivid colors and sharp details
- Simple: Easy to hang and durable, our universe canvas wall art is lightweight, water resistant, hook pre-installed on the back and ready to hang
- Gift: Perfect for gift-giving, our universe canvas wall art is a thoughtful and unique present for any occasion, whether it's a housewarming, birthday, or holiday gift
- Size: With modern canvas art dimension, each canvas is 16 inches wide and 12 inches high
Rank #3
- ⭐【Space Decor for Boys Room Size】: Space wall art each panel size is 12x12inch(30x30cm), total 4 piece wall art. Style: modern astronomy starlight painting prints outer space room wall decor. Material: canvas prints, wood framed. Space themed nebula galaxy poster. Creating your children's room a touch of fantasy and magical with outer space trippy room decor aesthetic canvas pictures!
- 🌌【Kids Bedroom Galaxy Wall Decor Interstellar Posters】: Do you want to brighten up your kid’s bedroom？Our outer space canvas wall art prints with frames can help you not only beautify your boy room but also change your mood. Moreover, space decor space poster it’s perfect for many occasions like nursery, bathroom, classroom, bookstore, living room, bedroom decor or even more other places. Perfect canvas artwork for your dorm, bedroom, especially boys bedroom, playroom, game room.
- ⭐【Space Themed Bedroom Wall Decor Nebula Painting】: Space themed bedroom decor is a great gift for relative and friends. Space wall decor perfect choice for boys room wall decor: playroom, living room, bedroom, kitchen, rental house, laundry, office, bathroom, store, apartment, guest room, study room, new house, hotel, bar, entrance, chamber, sitting room, corridor, restaurant, wedding room, bridal chamber, dinning room, meeting room, hallway, nurseries, coffee house, condo house, hotels, inn, Spa, Lounge, Sauna and other spaces.
- 🌌【Outer Space Room Decor Astronomy Poster Gifts】: Unique space poster modern artwork Christmas gift, still worrying about how to choose a birthday gift or a souvenir or Valentine's Day gift for a lover? Chic constellation gifts for women, men, teens, boys, girls, wife, girlfriend, her, husband, boyfriend, him, baby, nursery, Halloween，Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, wedding and bridal shower, birthday, anniversary, Valentines Day, Mothers Day Gifts for Mom, Fathers Day, graduation, baby shower.
- ⭐【Kids Bedroom Galaxy Wall Art Space Wall Decor】: please note display space galaxy wall decal pictures are only for illustration purposes. Prints are waterproof, paintings can be cleaned by wet cloth, please avoid long time directly strong sunlight and any possible oily stain.The scene graphs are the renderings of the designer's ps synthesis, which is convenient for the customer to have a clear concept of the effect of the venue.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.
