Hubble finds dark matter ring in galaxy cluster
An international team of astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has discovered a ghostly ring of dark matter that was formed long ago during a titanic collision between two massive galaxy clusters. It is the first time that a dark matter distribution has been found that differs substantially from the distribution of ordinary matter.
This image shows the galaxy cluster Cl 0024+17 (ZwCl 0024+1652) as seen by Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys. The image displays faint faraway background galaxies that had their light bent by the cluster's strong gravitational field. By mapping the distorted light and using it to deduce how dark matter is distributed in the cluster, astronomers spotted the ring of dark matter. One of the background galaxies is located about two times further away than the yellow cluster galaxies in the foreground, and has been multiple-imaged into five separate arc-shaped components, seen in blue.
Credit:NASA, ESA, M.J. Jee and H. Ford (Johns Hopkins University)
About the Image
Id: | heic0709b |
Type: | Observation |
Release date: | 15 May 2007, 19:00 |
Related releases: | heic0709 |
Size: | 3838 x 3928 px |
About the Object
Name: | ZwCl0024+1652 |
Type: | Early Universe : Galaxy : Grouping : Cluster Early Universe : Cosmology : Phenomenon : Dark Matter |
Distance: | z=0.39 (redshift) |
Constellation: | Pisces |
Category: | Cosmology |
Wallpapers
Coordinates
Position (RA): | 0 26 34.49 |
Position (Dec): | 17° 9' 43.98" |
Field of view: | 3.20 x 3.28 arcminutes |
Orientation: | North is 86.4° right of vertical |
Colours & filters
Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
---|---|---|
Optical B | 435 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
Optical B | 475 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
Optical V | 555 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
Optical R | 625 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
Infrared I | 814 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
Infrared Z | 850 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |