With a fortuitous lineup of a massive cluster of galaxies, astronomers have discovered a single star across most of the entire observable universe. This is the farthest detection of a single star ever. The star may be up to 500 times more massive than our Sun. Using a natural phenomenon known as “gravitational lensing,” astronomers were able to detect a single star at a distance where even detecting entire galaxies is challenging. This phenomenon was predicted by Einstein’s theory of relativity. It arises from the ability of mass to “curve” space itself.

Astronomers Spot the Most Distant Single Star Ever Seen Using a Cosmic Telescope Predicted by Einstein