Can Gravitational Lensing Cause a Star to Appear Twice Simultaneously?

[Nickelodeon]

Gravitational lensing displaces the apparent direction of a star outwards away from a gravitational source. Do you think it would be possible to see the same star at least twice simultaneously, one either side of this gravitational source?
Even more likely, if the gravitational source was great enough, I would have thought that you would see a halo.

Nick

 

[qraal]

Gravitational lensing displaces the apparent direction of a star outwards away from a gravitational source. Do you think it would be possible to see the same star at least twice simultaneously, one either side of this gravitational source?
Even more likely, if the gravitational source was great enough, I would have thought that you would see a halo.

Nick

You would and such haloes have been seen when there's a nearby galaxy in front of a more distant one. The light has to come from almost immediately on the line of sight between the the intervening mass and the observer. A light source a bit to the side just appears as an arc of light.

 

[Nickelodeon]

You would and such haloes have been seen when there's a nearby galaxy in front of a more distant one. The light has to come from almost immediately on the line of sight between the the intervening mass and the observer. A light source a bit to the side just appears as an arc of light.

amazing - thanks for that.

 

[DaveC426913]

Gravitational lensing displaces the apparent direction of a star outwards away from a gravitational source. Do you think it would be possible to see the same star at least twice simultaneously, one either side of this gravitational source?
Even more likely, if the gravitational source was great enough, I would have thought that you would see a halo.

Nick

Yyyyyyep. Called an Einstein Ring. Google away...

 

[seb7]

I've seen a TV programme demonstrating the same star seen at two (near) points in the sky at the same time.

 

[mikeph]

 

[Nickelodeon]

I've seen a TV programme demonstrating the same star seen at two (near) points in the sky at the same time.

Do you remember what the TV programme was called and when it was shown?