Abstract

We report the discovery of the new gravitational lens system HE 0230-2130, a QSO at redshift z=2.162 consisting of at least five distinct components. Three of these are clearly lensed images of the QSO, one is most likely the lensing galaxy, while for the fifth component the identity is unclear: It could be a fourth QSO image (if so, then highly reddened), or another intervening galaxy, or a superposition of the two. Differential reddening seems to be important also for the first three QSO images. The surface density of faint galaxies near the QSO appears to be enhanced by a factor of >~ 2, indicating the presence of a distant cluster close to the line of sight. Partly based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile.