This finding was about how one can misjudge the size and nature of a supernova if by some cosmic realignment a vast object (say a galaxy) finds itself between the supernova and our observational field. According to the team of researchers, which include 2011 Nobel Prize winners in Physics , “a massive object between us and the supernova bends light rays much as a glass lens can focus light. As more light rays are directed toward the observer than would be without the lens, the supernova appears magnified.”
Wow! That means “run-of-the-mill” supernovae may be mistakenly considered to be bigger, brighter and especially new discovery. The Authors call the behavior of the galaxy as ‘gravitational lensing’ and the resulting misleading a “Cosmic Illusion”.
… For me, optical illusion is sometimes key during photography. Not to deceive the observer, but to give the picture the illusion of depth on a two-dimensional plane that is a photo (at least on paper, under the 1950's enlarger in my darkroom.) And with careful positioning, one can give illusions regarding relative size, and playing with the shades can transform a morning shot to a midnight bathing in a full moon or hiding under dark clouds.
So, I went back to my street photos to find an illustration. Here is my earthly interpretation of what happens when a ‘galaxy’ gets between a ‘supernova’ and the photographer!
Of course I laughed looking at the picture as I had certainly not thought about such an interpretation when I took it. I suppose every artist has such moments: a poet writes a line hoping to use it one day; a painter sketches a thought believing it will find a context soon; and a musician hides his many incomplete music sheets under “May be one day” pile!
But, the idea of the illusion and this picture made me think about more daily reactions we all have regarding the past. Would this young girl look just a young girl without the well-seasoned persona of the man? Can one look at this picture and think of the man as the passage of time and therefore somehow embellish, romanticize the past? Is it an illusion when we think that the ‘good old days’ were better than now? If so, is it because of the passage of time that serves as the ‘gravitational lensing’ giving the illusion that all was grand and lovely in the past? While Bing Crosby sang “Love is better the second time around”, why do we still remember our first love, and often with tendresse?
Is it all an illusion?
.. And I laughed again remembering how a friend of mine, who grew up on a farm, used to reply when someone used the old adage of “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”.
His quick response was:
“Yes, it is greener because there are sheep there that leave copious amounts of droppings. Try to walk barefoot on the other side of the fence!!!”
Robert M. Quimby et al. Detection of the Gravitational Lens Magnifying a Type Ia Supernova. Science April 25, 2014
December 3, 2014
© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2014
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