Looking somewhat like a swarm of bees returning to their hive, this NASA Hubble Space Telescope image features the galaxy cluster MACS0329-0211. Galaxy clusters like MACS0329-0211 are important signposts in the story of how the structure of the universe evolved, and are the ultimate telescopic lenses, placing gravitationally lensed galaxies from the earliest stages of the universe into our view.
Zoom into this galaxy swarm and you will find large, oval-shaped elliptical galaxies, and thin spiral and lenticular galaxies viewed from the edge. We can also see the full, face-on view of spiral galaxies and their curving spiral arms. The imageтАЩs upper-right quadrant holds faint arcs of distant galaxies gravitationally lensed by the clusterтАЩs massive gravity. The largest of these arcs appears above the bright oval shape of a giant elliptical galaxy. Closer inspection of the imageтАЩs center reveals several bright-white intersecting curves that appear as a distorted figure eight. This may be another distant galaxy whose light was magnified and distorted by this massive clusterтАЩs gravity.
Hubble looked at MACS0329-0211 as part of an observing program of X-ray bright galaxy clusters. Researchers used HubbleтАЩs two main cameras, the Advanced Camera for Surveys and its Wide Field Camera 3, to gather data visible and infrared light from the cluster. HubbleтАЩs ability to see such a broad spectrum of light makes it a valuable tool in understanding the very nature of these galaxy clusters.
Media Contact:
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s┬аGoddard Space Flight Center,┬аGreenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
