Abell S1063 with Galaxy-less Stars
Edited Hubble Space Telescope image of the galaxy cluster Abell S1063 with a diffuse glow of stars not belonging to any galaxy.
Image source: hubblesite.org/image/4294/news
Original caption: Amid the bright light of its member galaxies, the galaxy cluster MACS J0416.1-2403 also emits a soft glow of intracluster light, produced by stars that are not part of any individual galaxy. These stars were scattered throughout the cluster long ago, when their home galaxies were torn apart by the cluster's gravitational forces. The homeless stars eventually aligned themselves with the gravity of the overall cluster. Hubble's unique sensitivity and resolution captures the faint light and uses it to trace the location of invisible dark matter, which dominates the cluster's gravitational field.
Tags
Frontier Fields, Galaxy Clusters, Hubble Telescope, Observations
Credits
NASA, ESA, and M. Montes (University of New South Wales)
Abell S1063 with Galaxy-less Stars
Edited Hubble Space Telescope image of the galaxy cluster Abell S1063 with a diffuse glow of stars not belonging to any galaxy.
Image source: hubblesite.org/image/4294/news
Original caption: Amid the bright light of its member galaxies, the galaxy cluster MACS J0416.1-2403 also emits a soft glow of intracluster light, produced by stars that are not part of any individual galaxy. These stars were scattered throughout the cluster long ago, when their home galaxies were torn apart by the cluster's gravitational forces. The homeless stars eventually aligned themselves with the gravity of the overall cluster. Hubble's unique sensitivity and resolution captures the faint light and uses it to trace the location of invisible dark matter, which dominates the cluster's gravitational field.
Tags
Frontier Fields, Galaxy Clusters, Hubble Telescope, Observations
Credits
NASA, ESA, and M. Montes (University of New South Wales)