Analytical approach to strong gravitational lensing from ultracompact objects

Abstract

Strong gravitational lensing from black holes results in the formation of relativistic images, in particular, relativistic Einstein rings. For objects with event horizons, the radius of the unstable light ring (photon sphere) is the lowest radius at which a relativistic image might be formed. For horizonless ultracompact objects, additional relativistic images and rings can form inside this radius. In this paper, we provide an analytical approach to deal with strong gravitational lensing from such ultracompact objects, which is substantially different from the black hole cases, first reported by Bozza. Here, our analysis indicates that the angular separations and magnifications of relativistic images inside the unstable light ring (photon sphere) might be several orders of magnitude higher compared to the ones outside it. This indicates fundamental differences in the nature of strong gravitational lensing from black holes and ultracompact objects.