NASA/ESA’s Hubble Area Telescope has launched a putting new image of the massive galaxy cluster Abell 209, 2.8 billion light-years from us within the Cetus constellation. The large cluster incorporates over 100 galaxies held collectively by gravity, however what’s seen is barely half the story. Beneath the shining galaxies is a tangled internet of unseen scaffolding—sizzling, diffuse gasoline and an unlimited quantity of darkish matter. Though invisible, these parts outline the universe by way of their gravitational pull. The robust lenses of Hubble allow scientists to check these invisible parts and the twisted spacetime that they create.

Technological development

In keeping with NASA website, the brand new picture was taken with Hubble’s Superior Digicam for Surveys (ACS) and Vast Subject Digicam 3 (WFC3). Twelve exposures taken by way of totally different coloration filters have been mixed to make the total view. The ultimate image has a golden glow from dozens of vivid elliptical galaxies clustering on the middle, together with just a few blue spiral galaxies on the edges. , Hubble avoids Earth’s blur to make distant galaxies seem pinpoint-sharp . In seen gentle, the most important galaxies seem as clean golden orbs, whereas the spiral galaxies shine a faint blue. Hubble demonstrates a technological brilliance by merging optical and infrared knowledge into one putting cosmic portrait.

Scientific revealations

Hubble scientists say photos like this will help reply basic questions on darkish matter and darkish vitality. The space between Abell 209’s galaxies is laced with X-ray–sizzling gasoline and dominated by darkish matter. Solely about 5% of the cosmos is peculiar matter; roughly 25% is darkish matter and 70% is darkish vitality.

A large cluster acts like a pure lens: its gravity barely warps the sunshine from extra distant galaxies. Within the Hubble picture, just a few faint background galaxies seem stretched into curved streaks. By measuring these distortions, scientists can map the cluster’s whole mass (together with darkish matter). This lets them check theories about how the universe has grown below the affect of darkish matter and darkish vitality