AstroTalk Episode May 4, 2017

Galaxy Cluster Abell 370 and May the 4th Be With You

3:03pm - 3:29pm

Galaxy cluster Abell 370 is made up of hundreds of galaxies that are held together as a group, by the mutual pull of gravity each member galaxy exerts on other members of the group. A recent Hubble photo, taken in the infrared, shows these galaxies, but it also shows arcs and/or streaks. Other photos were also taken in visible light, and then both the visible and infrared images were overlapped to provide more detailed images. These arcs/streaks are actually far-flung galaxies that lie behind the Abell 370 cluster. They have been magnified by gravitational lensing. The collective mass and gravity of the stars and matter of Abell 370 warp space and time, and act as the magnifier.