Tag Archives: Abell

Decam Reveals Hidden Cluster Light in Galaxy Cluster Abell 3667

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The glow within the cluster is the soft luminosity of stars that have been stripped from their galaxy amidst the layers of galaxy clusters.

Abell 3667 is depicted in this Decam image. Image credits: CTIO/NOIRLAB/NSF/AURA/ANTHONY ENGLERT, Brown University/TA Rector, Noirlab/M. Zamani & D of University of Alaska Anchorage & NSF. De Martin, NSF’s Noirlab.

Galaxy clusters comprise thousands of galaxies, varying widely in age, shape, and size.

Typically, they have a mass about 10 billion times that of the Sun.

Historically, galactic clusters were regarded as the largest structures in the universe, spanning hundreds of millions of light-years and including numerous galactic clusters and groups, until superclusters were discovered in the 1980s.

Nonetheless, galaxy clusters still hold the title of the largest gravitationally bound structure in the universe.

“The study of galaxy clusters not only informs us about the formation of the universe, but it also places constraints on the characteristics of dark matter,” stated Brown University astronomer Anthony Englat and his team.

One significant clue astronomers seek to grasp the history of galactic clusters is the light within the cluster. This faint glow is emitted by stars that have been stripped from their original galaxy due to the immense gravitational forces of the forming galaxy cluster.

These stars provide evidence of past galactic interactions, although most current telescopes and cameras face challenges in detecting them.

The subtle intra-cluster light from the galaxy cluster Abel 3667 shines vividly in new images created from a total of 28 hours of observation at 570 megapixels using the Dark Energy Camera (Decam) at NSF’s M. Blanco 4-M Telescope, a program of NSF’s Noirlab at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.

“Abell 3667 is located over 700 million light-years away from us,” the astronomer mentioned.

“Most of the faint light sources in this image are distant galaxies, not foreground stars from our own Milky Way.”

“In Abell 3667, two small galaxy clusters are currently merging, as evidenced by the luminous bridge (yellow) of stars extending toward the center of this image.”

“This bridge is formed from material stripped off from the merging galaxies, forming one massive conglomerate known as the brightest cluster galaxy.”

“Not only does this sparkling sky encompass distant galaxies, but it also highlights faint foreground features due to the prolonged exposure.”

“The Milky Way’s hair follicles, or integrated flux nebula, consist of faint clouds of interstellar dust that appear as soft bluish chains crossing the image.”

“These structures are patches of dust that are illuminated by the light of the stars within our own galaxy.”

“They present as diffuse, filamentous formations that can span extensive areas of the sky.”

Survey results will be published in the Astrophysics Journal Letter.

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Anthony M. Engrat et al. 2025. Announcing optical bridges in Abel 3667 in-cluster light: LSST precursor data. apjl 989, L2; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ade8f1

Source: www.sci.news

Hubble Discovers More Than 100 Galaxies in Abell 209

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Abel 209 is an expansive galactic cluster situated approximately 2.8 billion light years from the constellations of Cetus.

This Hubble image illustrates Abell 209, a galactic cluster positioned approximately 2.8 billion light years away from the constellations of Cetus. The color imagery incorporates both optical and infrared data gathered by Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Survey (ACS) and Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). We employed 12 filters to explore various wavelengths. The colors arise from assigning distinct hues to each monochromatic image tied to separate filters. Image credits: NASA/ESA/Hubble/M. Postman/P. Kelly.

Galaxy clusters consist of thousands of galaxies representing a variety of ages, shapes, and dimensions.

Typically, their mass is around 10 billion times that of the sun.

In the past, galactic clusters were thought to be the largest structures in the universe. They typically extend across hundreds of millions of light years, encompassing numerous galactic clusters and groups, until the discovery of superclusters in the 1980s altered this perception.

Nevertheless, one aspect remains unchanged for galaxy clusters. As superclusters are not bound by gravity, galaxy clusters still hold the distinction of being the largest gravitationally bound structures in the universe.

“The galaxies within Abel 209 are spaced millions of light years apart, and the apparently vacant space in between is filled with hot, diffuse gases detectable only at X-ray wavelengths,” Hubble astronomers stated.

“An even more enigmatic inhabitant of this galactic cluster is dark matter, a type of matter that does not interact with light.”

“It’s estimated that the universe contains 5% ordinary matter, 25% dark matter, and 70% dark energy,” they added.

“Hubble’s observations, including those contributing to this image, can help address fundamental questions regarding our universe, including dark matter and the enigmas of dark energy.”

“These studies take advantage of the immense mass of galaxy clusters, which enables us to warp the fabric of space-time to produce distorted, enlarged images of background galaxies and stars through a process known as gravitational lensing.”

“While this image lacks the dramatic ring that gravitational lenses can sometimes produce, Abel 209 still reveals subtle indications of hierarchy, illustrated by a slightly curved galaxy of stripes nestled within the golden glow of the cluster.”

“Analyzing the distortions in these galaxies allows astronomers to map the distribution of mass within clusters and shed light on the clouds of dark matter that lie beneath.”

“This information, made possible by Hubble’s remarkable resolution and precision, is crucial for testing theories about how our universe has evolved.”

Source: www.sci.news

Webb Examines the Behemoth Galaxy Cluster: Abell S1063

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

This Webb image illustrates the colossal galaxy cluster Abell S1063. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/Webb/H. Atek & M. Zamani, ESA & Webb/R. Endley.

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.”

Source: www.sci.news