Gravitational Lensing: Magnification of Galaxies

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of gravitational lensing, specifically focusing on how a galaxy similar in size to the Milky Way might magnify background objects. Participants explore the complexities of light bending around such galaxies and the factors influencing this phenomenon.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions how many times a Milky Way-sized galaxy can magnify a background object, suggesting that the answer is not straightforward.
  • Another participant argues that the galaxy does not magnify at all due to its poor lensing properties, noting that it typically produces multiple distorted images instead.
  • A later reply emphasizes that the bending of light depends on the distance of the light source and the mass of the galaxy, indicating that there is no single answer to the question of light deflection.
  • One participant references a specific calculation from a textbook regarding light deflection around a spherical mass, suggesting that the situation for the Milky Way would be more complex due to its non-spherical shape.
  • There is a suggestion that modeling the deflection of light around the Milky Way could be an interesting project.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the magnification capabilities of a Milky Way-sized galaxy, with no consensus reached on the specifics of light bending and lensing effects.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the complexity of the Milky Way's structure and the variability in mass and distance complicate the calculations and understanding of gravitational lensing.

Mikael17
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TL;DR
How many time does a galaxy (same size as our milkyway) magnified the background ?
How many time does a galaxy (same size as our milkyway) magnified the background ?
 
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Um...once?

This is impossible to answer. "How strong is a glass lens"?
 
It doesn't magnify at all, because it's an absolutely terrible lens. It's not even circularly symmetric, so you usually get up to four distorted and displaced copies of whatever is in the background.
 
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OK, how much would light then bend , when passing nearby a milkyway size galaxy ?
 
Depends how far away the light is and it depends how massive the galaxy is more than its size. There isn't really a single answer to this question.

Why are you asking? Perhaps if you have a less general question we can be more helpful.
 
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Mikael17 said:
OK, how much would light then bend , when passing nearby a milkyway size galaxy ?
In Hartle's Introduction to General Relativity, he studies the deflection of light for a spherical mass in chapter 9. The estimate is ##1.7## seconds of arc for a light ray grazing the Sun. There would be less deflection for a light ray further from the Sun. In other words, it depends on the mass of the Sun and the impact parameter.

The calculation for the Milky Way would be considerably more complex, as it is not a neat spherical mass. A good project for a computer model, perhaps.
 
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