Webb Examines the Behemoth Galaxy Cluster: Abell S1063

Astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have captured incredible new images of the Galaxy Cluster Abell S1063.

Abell S1063 is a significant cluster of galaxies located about 4.5 billion light years away in the constellation Grus.

This cluster houses approximately 100 million solar masses, including 51 confirmed galaxies, with potentially over 400 more yet to be identified.

The enormous mass of Abell S1063 bends and magnifies light from galaxies located behind it, an effect known as gravitational lensing.

“Upon closer examination, this dense grouping of massive galaxies is encircled by glowing light streaks, and these warped arcs are the essence of our interest: faint galaxies from the distant past of the universe.”

“Abell S1063 was previously explored by the Frontier Fields program using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.”

“It possesses a remarkable gravitational lens. The immense size of these galaxy clusters causes light from the distant galaxies positioned behind them to curve around them, forming the distorted arcs visible here.”

“Similar to a glass lens, it directs light from these remote galaxies.”

“The resulting image, while distorted, is bright and magnified, making it possible for observation and study.”

“This was Hubble’s objective — to investigate the early universe using galaxy clusters as a magnifying glass.”

A new image of Abell S1063 was captured by Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam).

“The image reveals an astonishing array of structures around Abell S1063, showcasing distorted background galaxies at various distances, along with numerous faint galaxies and previously unseen features,” the researchers noted.

“This image is classified as a deep field. It focuses on a single segment of the sky for an extended period, gathering as much light as possible to detect the faintest distant galaxies that aren’t visible in standard images.”

“It comprises nine distinct snapshots of different near-infrared wavelengths, totaling approximately 120 hours of observation time, enhanced by the gravitational lensing effect. This marks Webb’s deepest observation of a single target to date.”

“Thus, directing such observational capability at a large gravitational lens, like Abell S1063, could uncover some of the earliest galaxies formed in the early universe.”