Astronomers see star explode four times »

The multiple image phenomena is known as the Einstein Cross. Astronomers thought it really took the biscuit. Image: Melissa Graham, Berkeley Astronomers have glimpsed a far off and ancient star exploding, not once, but four times. The exploding star, or supernova, was directly behind a cluster of huge galaxies, whose mass is so great that they warp space-time. This forms a cosmic magnifying glass that creates multiple images of the supernova, an effect first predicted by Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity 100 years ago. Dr Brad Tucker from The Australian National University (ANU) says it's a dream discovery for the team. "It's perfectly set up, you couldn't have designed a better experiment," said Dr Tucker, from ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics.