"Rare Supernova Unveiled Through Einstein's Theory and Cosmic Magnifying Glasses"

The light of a rare type Ia supernova, SN Zwicky, was magnified by up to 25 times by the gravitational lensing of a distant galaxy, revealing details about the explosion and an unseen population of galaxies. The lensing also split the supernova into four images, with two appearing brighter than expected due to microlensing events. SN Zwicky belongs to a class of supernovas called "standard candles," which can be used to determine distance in space and chart the expansion of the universe. The discovery paves the way for finding more rare lensed supernovas in future surveys by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.