Exploring the Spacetime Around Supermassive Black Holes With Gravitational Lensing - Dr. Henric Krawczynski, Washington University

Einstein’s Relativity Theory predicts that light is bent by massive objects. This very slight bending was first detected by observing stars close to the Sun during the 1919 total solar eclipse. Scientists can now measure the bending due to massive black holes or entire galaxies. Dr. Krawczynski will explain how gravity can act as a lens to magnify very distant objects. He will also talk about how this gravitational bending can be used to map the region around the massive object. Cosponsored by the St. Louis Astronomical Society and NASA MO Space Grant Consortium at Washington University.