Hubble Unveils Dark Matter Web in Stunning Abell 209 Galaxy Cluster Image

NASA/ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope has launched a hanging new image of the big galaxy cluster Abell 209, 2.8 billion light-years from us in the Cetus constellation. The huge cluster accommodates over 100 galaxies held collectively by gravity, however what’s seen is simply half the story. Underneath the shining galaxies is a tangled net of unseen scaffolding—sizzling, diffuse fuel and an enormous quantity of darkish matter. Although invisible, these parts outline the universe by means of their gravitational pull. The sturdy lenses of Hubble allow scientists to review these invisible parts and the twisted spacetime that they create.

Technological development

According to NASA web site, the brand new picture was taken with Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). Twelve exposures taken by means of completely different shade filters have been mixed to make the complete view. The remaining image has a golden glow from dozens of vivid elliptical galaxies clustering on the middle, together with a number of blue spiral galaxies on the edges. , Hubble avoids Earth’s blur to make distant galaxies seem pinpoint-sharp . In seen mild, 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 hanging cosmic portrait.

Scientific revealations

Hubble scientists say photos like this may also help reply basic questions on darkish matter and darkish power. The area between Abell 209’s galaxies is laced with X-ray–sizzling fuel and dominated by darkish matter. Only about 5% of the cosmos is extraordinary matter; roughly 25% is darkish matter and 70% is darkish power.

An enormous cluster acts like a pure lens: its gravity barely warps the sunshine from extra distant galaxies. In the Hubble picture, a number of faint background galaxies seem stretched into curved streaks. By measuring these distortions, scientists can map the cluster’s complete mass (together with darkish matter). This lets them check theories about how the universe has grown underneath the affect of darkish matter and darkish power