Abell 370

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Abell 370
Gravitational lensing in the galaxy cluster Abell 370 (captured by the Hubble Space Telescope).jpg
Abell 370 seen by the Hubble Space Telescope on 16 July 2009.
Observation data (Epoch J2000)
Constellation(s) Cetus
Right ascension 02h 39m 50.5s [1]
Declination −01° 35′ 08″ [1]
Richness class 0 [2]
Bautz–Morgan classification II-III [2]
Redshift 0.375 [1]
Distance 1.464  Gpc (4.775  Gly) h−1
0.705 [1]
See also: Galaxy group, Galaxy cluster, List of galaxy groups and clusters

Abell 370 is a galaxy cluster located nearly 5 billion light-years away from the Earth (at redshift z = 0.375), in the constellation Cetus. [3] Its core is made up of several hundred galaxies. It was catalogued by George Abell, and is the most distant of the clusters he catalogued.

Contents

In the 1980s astronomers of Toulouse Observatory discovered a gravitational lens in space between Earth and Abell 370 using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. [4] [5] A curious arc had been observed earlier near the cluster, but the astronomers were able to recognize it as this phenomenon. [4] [6]

Gravitational lensing

Abell 370 appears to include several arcs of light, including the largest ever discovered with 30" long. It was originally referred to as the Giant Arc, but later renamed to the Dragon Arc [7] . These arcs or deformations are mirages caused by gravitational lensing of distant galaxies by the massive galaxy cluster located between the observer and the magnified galaxies. [3] [8] This cluster shows an apparent magnitude of +22.

In 2002, astronomers used this lensing effect to discover a galaxy, HCM-6A, 12.8 billion light years away from Earth. At the time it was the furthest known galaxy. [9]

In 2009, study in the field of Abell 370 revealed a grouping of background galaxies lensed and distorted by the cluster into an arc with the appearance of a dragon, hence nicknamed The Dragon [10] by NASA scientists. [11] Its head is composed of a spiral galaxy, [12] with another image of the spiral composing the tail. Several other images form the body of the dragon, all overlapping. [13] These galaxies all lie approximately 5 billion light years away.

Gravitational lensing in the galaxy clusters including "The Dragon" (to the lower left of center) The last of the Frontier Fields -- Abell 370.jpg
Gravitational lensing in the galaxy clusters including "The Dragon" (to the lower left of center)

See also

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Abell 222 is a galaxy cluster in the constellation of Cetus. It holds thousands of galaxies together. It is located at a distance of 2.4 billion light-years from Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MACS0647-JD</span> The farthest known galaxy from the Earth in the constellation Camelopardalis

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">MACS J1149 Lensed Star 1</span> Blue supergiant and second most distant star from earth detected in the constellation Leo

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "NED results for object ABELL 0370". NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED). Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Abell, George O.; Corwin, Harold G. Jr.; Olowin, Ronald P. (May 1989). "A catalog of rich clusters of galaxies" (PDF). Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 70 (May 1989): 1–138. Bibcode:1989ApJS...70....1A. doi: 10.1086/191333 . ISSN   0067-0049 . Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Starr, Michelle (13 September 2018). "Hubble Just Revealed Thousands of Hidden Galaxies in This Jaw-Dropping Photo - Hello, new desktop wallpaper". ScienceAlert.com. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  4. 1 2 Brunier, Serge (1999-10-28). Majestic Universe: Views from Here to Infinity. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   9780521663076.
  5. ↑ Soucail, G.; Fort, B.; Mellier, Y.; Picat, J. P. (1987-01-01). "A blue ring-like structure in the center of the A 370 cluster of galaxies". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 172: L14–L16. ISSN   0004-6361.
  6. ↑ Bergmann, Anton G.; Petrosian, Vahe; Lynds, Roger (1990-02-01). "Gravitational Lens Models of Arcs in Clusters". The Astrophysical Journal. 350: 23. doi:10.1086/168359. ISSN   0004-637X.
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ New York Times, "SCIENCE WATCH; Mirages in the Sky May Not Be So Rare" Tuesday, October 18, 1988
  9. ↑ BBC News, "Far away stars light early cosmos" Thursday, 14 March 2002, 11:38 UTC
  10. ↑ Astronomy Now, "Refurbished Hubble gets off to a flying start" Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine 09-09-09 (accessed 2009-11-07)
  11. ↑ New York Times, "The Universe, in High Definition" 09/09/09 (accessed 2009-11-07)
  12. ↑ New Scientist, "Upgraded Hubble telescope spies cosmic 'dragon' " 09.09.09 (accessed 2009-11-07)
  13. ↑ National Geographic, "NEW HUBBLE PICTURES: First Shots From Upgraded Orbiter" Saturday, November 7, 2009 (accessed 2009-11-07)
  14. ↑ "The last of the Frontier Fields — Abell 370". www.spacetelescope.org. Retrieved 6 May 2017.


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