noun
- plural of lensing; the bending of light or other electromagnetic radiation as it passes through or near a massive object, such as a galaxy or black hole
Usage: astronomy; physics; technical
Examples
- Astronomers use gravitational lensings to study distant galaxies that would otherwise be too faint to observe.
- The lensings caused by massive galaxy clusters help us map the distribution of dark matter in the universe.
- Multiple lensings of the same distant object can create multiple images in the sky.
- Strong lensings can magnify and distort the appearance of background objects.
- Weak lensings provide subtle clues about the mass distribution in the cosmos.