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

The light of a supernova, known as SN Zwicky, was magnified by a distant galaxy's gravitational lens, revealing details about stellar explosions, an unseen population of galaxies, and the expansion of the universe. The supernova was split into four images, with two being brighter than expected due to microlensing effects. The lensed supernova will provide a new data point in efforts to chart the expansion of the universe. The discovery paves the way to find more rare lensed supernovas in future big surveys, such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.