Hubble image archive
Hubble Pushed Beyond Limits to Spot Clumps of New Stars in Distant Galaxy
In this Hubble photograph of a distant galaxy cluster, a spotty blue arc stands out dramatically against a background of red galaxies. That arc is actually three separate images of the same background galaxy. The background galaxy has been gravitationally lensed, its light magnif...
- Date
- Jan 1, 2017
- Mission
- Hubble Space Telescope
- Archive ID
- hubblesite-images-2017-27-4057-image
In this Hubble photograph of a distant galaxy cluster, a spotty blue arc stands out dramatically against a background of red galaxies. That arc is actually three separate images of the same background galaxy. The background galaxy has been gravitationally lensed, its light magnified and distorted by the intervening galaxy cluster.
By using the magnifying power of this natural cosmic lens, astronomers have been able to study the background galaxy in intimate detail. Through sophisticated computer processing, they determined how the galaxy’s image has been warped by gravity. The image at right shows how the galaxy would look to Hubble without distortions.
It reveals a disk galaxy containing clumps of star formation that each span about 200 to 300 light-years. This contradicts theories suggesting that star-forming regions in the distant, early universe were much larger, 3,000 light-years or more in size.
Credits
NASA, ESA, and T. Johnson (University of Michigan)Image Details
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | Galaxy cluster SDSS J1110+6459, lensed galaxy SGAS J111020.0+645950.8 |
| Object Description | Galaxy cluster and gravitationally lensed galaxies |
| R.A. Position | 11h10m24.4s |
| Dec. Position | +64º59'16" |
| Constellation | Ursa Major |
| Distance | Galaxy cluster SDSS J1110+6459: 6.14 billion light years, lensed galaxy SGAS J111020.0+645950.8 11.05 billion light years |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description | The Hubble image was created from HST data from proposal M. Gladders (U. Chicago) |
| Instrument | HST WFC3/UVIS, WFC3/IR |
| Exposure Dates | Jan. 8, 2013 |
| Filters | WFC3/UVIS F390W, F606W, WFC3/IR F105W, F160W |
| About The Image | |
| Color Info | This image is a composite of separate exposures made by the WFC3 instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope using two different cameras and filters isolating the light of specific elements or of specific broad wavelength ranges. The color arises by assigning different hues (colors), to each monochromatic image. In this case, the colors are: blue WFC3/UVIS F390W, green WFC3/UVIS F606W, orange/red: WFC3/IR F105W, red WFC3/IR F160W. |
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Source
Image and source material are credited to the official mission archive linked below.
View on NASA.gov