The conversation between human and AI assistant.
Why don't all stars and galaxies gravitationally lens the light from all the stars and galaxies behind them?
I have a question about stars and galaxies. Why don't all stars and galaxies gravitationally lens the light from all the stars and galaxies behind them?
That's an interesting question. Gravitational lensing occurs when a massive object bends the path of light from a more distant object, such as a star or a galaxy. However, not all stars and galaxies have enough mass to produce significant gravitational lensing effects. Smaller objects may only produce very slight lensing, while larger objects may have a stronger effect. Additionally, the orientation and distance of the objects relative to each other also play a role in determining if lensing occurs.