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How to Explore the Strong Gravitational Lensing 3D Explorer
Open the Strong Gravitational Lensing 3D Explorer, pick a case, and drag the alignment slider to see how many images or how stretched the arcs appear.
- Open https://freetoolonline.com/space-3d/strong-lensing-multiple-images.html and wait for the lens marker, the faint ring, and the source to render.
- Click "Einstein Cross case" to load the 4-point-image illustration, or "Abell 2218 case" to load the multi-arc illustration.
- Drag the alignment slider (0-100). Low values show more images or longer arcs; high values fade the extra images toward a single dominant image.
- Read the facts panel for the active case's real redshift, image count, and discovery figures, plus a live count of images or arcs currently visible.
- Notice the faint ring - it marks the lens's critical curve, the boundary near which the strongest arcs and extra images form.
- Drag to orbit and scroll or pinch to zoom to see the image or arc arrangement from a different angle.
Key published figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Einstein Cross lens/source redshift | 0.0394 / 1.695 |
| Einstein Cross image count | 4 point images |
| Abell 2218 group redshift | 0.171 |
| Abell 2218 background galaxies | out to redshift about 2.5 |
Next: the when-to-use guide or the vs-alternatives comparison. Open the Strong Gravitational Lensing 3D Explorer.
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