UAS Logo History

For the Spring 2009 year we have voted on a new logo to represent the UAS. We celebrate the iconic telescope, Hubble with its many years of wonderful image and its immense contribution to the field of astronomy. Image and design credit goes to Bryan C. McLean.

We do wish to pay homage to the previous logo, picked by the original members that found UAS back in 2000. This logo is copyrighted to Robert Peck, the designer. The image is that of the gravitation lens: Einstein's Ring. This image embodies modern astrophysics. The light source is actually one quasar much further away than imaged at. As the light from the quasar approaches an invisible dark object (probably a black hole or dim galaxy) it follows the "easiest" path around the galaxy. The space around the massive dark object is warped so that the light bends around the object. The intensity of the light is also amplified or "boosted." By studying these gravitational lenses one can ascertain the distances to the source quasar, which could not be seen without the lensing. This has cosmological implications on the size and expansion rate of the Universe. It also helps us to study dark objects that are not visible without the lens. To learn more about gravitational lensing visit the CASTLES Survey Page.