"Russian Doll" Galaxy Clusters Reveal Information About Dark Energy

Chandra_626c_1024

chandra_626c April 28th, 2016

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Alabama/A. Morandi et al; Optical: SDSS, NASA/STScI

These four galaxy clusters were part of a large survey of over 300 clusters used to investigate dark energy, the mysterious energy that is currently driving the accelerating expansion of the Universe. In these composite images, X-rays from Chandra (purple) have been combined with optical light from Hubble and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (red, green, and blue). Researchers used a novel technique that takes advantage of the observation that the outer reaches of galaxy clusters, the largest structures in the universe held together by gravity, show similarity in their X-ray emission profiles and sizes.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2016/clusters/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
RXJ 1347.5-1145
Subject - Distant Universe
Galaxy > Grouping > Cluster

Distance

Universescale3
4,700,000,000 light years
Chandra_626c_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 13h 47m 30.6s
DEC = -11° 45’ 9.4”
Orientation
North is up
Field of View
2.2 x 2.2 arcminutes
Constellation
Virgo

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Purple Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) 826.7 pm
Blue Hubble (ACS) Optical (B-band) 435.0 nm
Green Hubble (ACS) Optical (V-band) 625.0 nm
Red Hubble (ACS) Optical (I-band) 850.0 nm
Spectrum_xray1
Purple
Blue
Green
Red
Chandra_626c_1280
×
ID
626c
Subject Category
D.5.5.3  
Subject Name
RXJ 1347.5-1145
Credits
X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Alabama/A. Morandi et al; Optical: SDSS, NASA/STScI
Release Date
2016-04-28
Lightyears
4,700,000,000
Redshift
0.451
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2016/clusters/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra, Hubble, Hubble, Hubble
Instrument
ACIS, ACS, ACS, ACS
Color Assignment
Purple, Blue, Green, Red
Band
X-ray, Optical, Optical, Optical
Bandpass
X-ray, B-band, V-band, I-band
Central Wavelength
0.8267, 435, 625, 850
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
206.8775609, -11.7526049
Reference Dimension
3600.0, 3600.0
Reference Pixel
1801.0, 1801.0
Scale
1.0241e-05, 1.0240967e-05
Rotation
-0.02
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
WCS retrieved using CXCs PinpointWCS
Creator (Curator)
Chandra X-ray Observatory
URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu
Name
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Email
cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu
Telephone
617.496.7941
Address
60 Garden St.
City
Cambridge
State/Province
MA
Postal Code
02138
Country
USA
Rights
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Publisher
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
clusters_rxj1347.tif
Metadata Date
2016-04-28T13:52:59-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
4,700,000,000 light years

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