Hubble image of MACS J0717
This enormous image shows Hubble’s view of massive galaxy cluster MACS J0717.5+3745. The large field of view is a combination of 18 separate Hubble images.
Studying the distorting effects of gravity on light from background galaxies, a team of astronomers has uncovered the presence of a filament of dark matter extending from the core of the cluster. This is one of the first positive detections of a filament, and the most precise to date.
Using additional observations from ground-based telescopes, the team were able to map the filament’s structure in three dimensions, the first time this has ever been done.
Credit:NASA, ESA, Harald Ebeling(University of Hawaii at Manoa) & Jean-Paul Kneib (LAM)
About the Image
Id: | heic1215b |
Type: | Observation |
Release date: | 16 October 2012, 15:00 |
Related releases: | heic1215 |
Size: | 18956 x 10646 px |
About the Object
Name: | MACS J0717.5+3745 |
Type: | Early Universe : Galaxy : Grouping : Cluster |
Constellation: | Auriga |
Category: | Galaxies |
Image Formats
Publication TIFF 4K
14.5 MB
Publication JPEG
4.4 MB
Screensize JPEG
172.3 KB
Wallpapers
1024x768
275.4 KB
1280x1024
425.0 KB
1600x1200
596.8 KB
1920x1200
710.4 KB
2048x1536
966.8 KB
Coordinates
Position (RA): | 7 17 43.80 |
Position (Dec): | 37° 42' 24.55" |
Field of view: | 15.79 x 8.87 arcminutes |
Orientation: | North is 47.7° right of vertical |
Colours & filters
Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
---|---|---|
Optical V | 606 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
Optical I | 814 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
Optical V+I |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |