Space Invaders

Hubble image of Abell 68The gravitational field surrounding this massive cluster of galaxies know as Abell 68 acts as a lens in space bending the light coming from very distant background galaxies. The lensing creates a funhouse mirror effect on the background galaxies. The foreground cluster is 2 billion light-years away, and the lensed galaxies are far behind it.

In this Hubble photo, a spiral galaxy at upper left has been stretched and mirrored into a shape similar to that of a simulated alien from the classic 1970s computer game Space Invaders!

Image Credit: NASA

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