Don't Worry, Be Happy Now | Space Wallpaper

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Don't Worry, Be Happy Now
This cosmic grinning emoji consists of multiple galaxies in the background with the galaxies in the foreground creating a lensing effect. (Image credit: X-Ray: NASA/CXC/University of Bonn/ G. Schellenberger et al.; Optical: Int)

A century ago Albert Einstein predicted the phenomenon of gravitational lensing using his general theory of relativity. Today we have an example of the effect when we look at the Cheshire Cat galaxy group with the foreground galaxies lensing the background galaxies into the arcs "framing" the smiling face. The eyes of the face are created by members of the foreground grouping which are merging, displaying a bright purple hue in the X-ray glow. The image was created with data from the Chandra and Hubble space telescopes. [Read more about gravitational lensing.]

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Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.