Ghost Light Galaxy Clusters

Ghost Light Galaxy Clusters

These are Hubble Space Telescope images of two massive clusters of galaxies named MOO J1014+0038 (left panel) and SPT-CL J2106-5844 (right panel). The artificially added blue color is translated from Hubble data that captured a phenomenon called intracluster light. This extremely faint glow traces a smooth distribution of light from wandering stars scattered across the cluster. Billions of years ago the stars were shed from their parent galaxies and now drift through intergalactic space.

Credits

Science

NASA, ESA, STScI, James Jee (Yonsei University)

Image Processing

Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

About The Object
Object Name MOO J1014+0038; SPT-CL J2106-5844
Object Description Intracluster Light Among Galaxy Clusters
About The Data
Data Description These images were created from HST data from proposals: (F. High); (S. Perlmutter); (S. Perlmutter); (T. Schrabback).
Instrument HST>WFC3/UVIS; HST>WFC3/IR
Exposure Dates Oct 2011 - Nov 2019
Filters F606W, F814W, F105W, F160W
About The Image
Color Info These images are a composite of separate exposures acquired by the Hubble Space Telescope using the WFC3/UVIS and WFC3/IR instruments. Several filters were used to sample infrared, and visible wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are:    MOO J1014+0038: Red: F160W Green: F105W, Blue: F814W SPT-CL J2106+5844: Red: F105W, Green: F814W, Blue: F606W
Compass Image Two side-by-side images showing dozens of galaxies of different colors, shapes, and sizes. At the center of each image is a cluster of galaxies within a ghostly blue light. The image on the left, labeled MOO J1014+0038 Hubble Space Telescope, shows several yellow-orange blobs (galaxies in the cluster), each of which is surrounded in a blue halo (the intracluster light). Some of the halos overlap with indistinct boundaries and some appear to abut against each other. Near the center of the cluster is a bright blue-white spot (bright intracluster light). The image on the right, labeled SPT-CL J2106-5844, shows two elongated blueish-colored irregularly shaped objects and several small yellow-orange blobs (galaxies in the cluster). Between the two elongated objects is a bright spot surrounded by a blue halo (the intracluster light). The blue halo is oval in shape and encompasses one of the elongated objects, part of the other, and a few of the orange blobs.
About The Object
Object Name A name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
Object Description The type of astronomical object.
R.A. Position Right ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
Dec. Position Declination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
Constellation One of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
Distance The physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.
Dimensions The physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.
About The Data
Data Description
  • Proposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
  • Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.
Instrument The science instrument used to produce the data.
Exposure Dates The date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
Filters The camera filters that were used in the science observations.
About The Image
Image Credit The primary individuals and institutions responsible for the content.
Publication Date The date and time the release content became public.
Color Info A brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented.
Orientation The rotation of the image on the sky with respect to the north pole of the celestial sphere.

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