<p>I have highlighted the feature I believe you are talking about. It looks like a galaxy that has been repeated (smaller green oval). There are several foreground objects that appear to be causing additional gravitational lensing (red arrows). Due to the shapes of the objects causing the lensing effect, the apparent image can be affected in many different ways, such a image duplication (multiple identical images of a galaxy, etc.), magnification, distortion, etc. The universe is massive and three-dimensional and we still don't understand that much of it yet.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/yunIR.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-14T02:01:09.643Z
2014-12-14T02:01:09.643Z
CJ Dennis
<p>I noticed this in a thread from world building, what is the continuous line of light in MACS J1206 slightly right of center in this picture? The only thing I could think of would be the side view of a galaxy, but it's much longer than any other galaxies pictured.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Gc7bu.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-12T18:57:21.373Z
I suppose you are watching at a lensed galaxy, but to be sure of what you mean, you can modify the image and point at the exact object you want to know (with an arrow, or a circle...). Asking for a galaxy in an image full of galaxies is not the best...
Py-ser
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-12T19:17:06.640Z
Sadly, I'm getting an error on attempts to upload the modified file (500). I'll try again at home.
Sidney
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-12T19:46:20.367Z
@Py-ser's absolutely correct. I've seen the image before - and look what [Wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_lens) it's on.
HDE 226868
<galaxy><deep-sky-observing>
What is the line of light in galaxy cluster MACS J1206?
Sidney
# What is the line of light in galaxy cluster MACS J1206?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-12-12)

I noticed this in a thread from world building, what is the continuous line of light in MACS J1206 slightly right of center in this picture? The only thing I could think of would be the side view of a galaxy, but it's much longer than any other galaxies pictured.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Gc7bu.jpg)

**Tags:** galaxy, deep-sky-observing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I suppose you are watching at a lensed galaxy, but to be sure of what you mean, you can modify the image and point at the exact object you want to know (with an arrow, or a circle...). Asking for a galaxy in an image full of galaxies is not the best...  
> **username_0**: Sadly, I'm getting an error on attempts to upload the modified file (500). I'll try again at home.  
> **username_2**: @username_1's absolutely correct. I've seen the image before - and look what [Wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_lens) it's on.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-12-14. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

I have highlighted the feature I believe you are talking about. It looks like a galaxy that has been repeated (smaller green oval). There are several foreground objects that appear to be causing additional gravitational lensing (red arrows). Due to the shapes of the objects causing the lensing effect, the apparent image can be affected in many different ways, such a image duplication (multiple identical images of a galaxy, etc.), magnification, distortion, etc. The universe is massive and three-dimensional and we still don't understand that much of it yet.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/yunIR.png)


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