Hubble image archive
Six Cluster Collisions, with Dark-Matter Maps (Hubble – Annotated)
This collage shows images of six different galaxy clusters taken with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The clusters were observed in a study of how dark matter in clusters of galaxies behaves when the clusters collide. Seventy-two large cluster collisions were studied in total. Usi...
- Date
- Jan 1, 2015
- Mission
- Hubble Space Telescope
- Archive ID
- hubblesite-images-2015-10-3509-image
This collage shows images of six different galaxy clusters taken with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The clusters were observed in a study of how dark matter in clusters of galaxies behaves when the clusters collide. Seventy-two large cluster collisions were studied in total. Using visible-light images from Hubble, the team was able to map the post-collision distribution of stars and also of the dark matter (colored in blue), which was traced through its gravitational lensing effects on background light. The team determined that dark matter interacts with itself less than previously thought. The clusters shown here are, from left to right and top to bottom: MACS J0416.1-2403, MACS J0152.5-2852, MACS J0717.5+3745, Abell 370, Abell 2744, and ZwCl 1358+62.
Credits
NASA, ESA, D. Harvey (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland; University of Edinburgh, UK), R. Massey (Durham University, UK), T. Kitching (University College London, UK), and A. Taylor and E. Tittley (University of Edinburgh, UK)Image Details
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Description | Galaxy Clusters |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description | The images are created from various Hubble archive observations of galaxy clusters. The science team includes: D. Harvey (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland/University of Edinburgh), R. Massey (Durham University, UK), T. Kitching (University College London), and A. Taylor and E. Tittley (University of Edinburgh, UK). TOP ROW (left to right): Object Name: MACS J0416.1-2403 Constellation: Eridanus Distance Estimate: 4.29 billion light-years (z=0.396) Coordinates (J2000): RA: 04h 16m 09s.90 | Dec: -24° 03' 58".00 Object Name: MACS J0152.5-2852 Constellation: Fornax Distance Estimate: 4.43 billion light-years (z=0.413) Coordinates (J2000): RA: 01h 52m 34.45s | Dec: -28° 53' 42".23 Object Name: MACS J0717.5+3745 Constellation: Auriga Distance Estimate: 5.41 billion light-years (z=0.545) Coordinates (J2000): RA: 07h 17m 33s.80 | +37° 45' 20".02 BOTTOM ROW (left to right): Object Name: Abell 370 Constellation: Cetus Distance Estimate: 4.12 billion light-years (z=0.375) Coordinates (J2000): RA: 02h 39m 50.5s | Dec: -01° 35' 08" Object Name: Abell 2744 Constellation: Sculptor Distance Estimate: 3.52 billion light-years (z=0.308) Coordinates (J2000): RA: 00h 14m 19s.51 | Dec: -30° 23' 19".18 Object Name: ZwCl 1358+62 Constellation: Draco Distance Estimate: 3.72 billion light-years (z=0.33) Coordinates (J2000): RA: 13h 59m 50.60s | Dec: +62° 31' 04".00 |
| About The Image | |
| Color Info | These images are composites of separate exposures acquired by the HST/ACS and CXO/ACIS instruments. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter or energy. In this case, the assigned colors are: Yellow: Optical Blue: Dark Matter Map |
More Images From This Period
Downloads
Source
Image and source material are credited to the official mission archive linked below.
View on NASA.gov