PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Pandora's magnifying glass

First image from Hubble's Frontier Fields

2014-01-08
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Nicky Guttridge
nguttrid@partner.eso.org
44-751-231-8322
ESA/Hubble Information Centre
Pandora's magnifying glass First image from Hubble's Frontier Fields

This image of Abell 2744 is the first to come from Hubble's Frontier Fields observing programme, which is using the magnifying power of enormous galaxy clusters to peer deep into the distant Universe. Abell 2744, nicknamed Pandora's Cluster, is thought to have a very violent history, having formed from a cosmic pile-up of multiple galaxy clusters.

Astronomers previously observed Abell 2744 with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope back in 2011, exploring the cluster's history. They found that at least four galaxy clusters had crashed into one another to form Abell 2744, causing some weird and wonderful effects. This mix of cosmic phenomena, some of which had never been seen before, led to the nickname of Pandora's Cluster (heic1111 - http://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1111/).

A mix of hazy elliptical galaxies and colourful spirals can be seen clumping together in the centre of this image. The effects of the cluster's gravity can be seen in the blue arcs and distorted shapes that are scattered across the frame, including galaxies that seem to be bleeding into the surrounding space. The arcs are actually the distorted images of galaxies far in the distance.

Abell 2744 is the first of six targets for an observing programme known as Frontier Fields. This three-year, 840-orbit programme [1] will yield our deepest views of the Universe to date, using the power of Hubble to explore more distant regions of space than could otherwise be seen, by observing gravitational lensing effects around six different galaxy clusters.

Gravitational lensing is a phenomenon caused by an object's influence on the space-time around it. Massive objects like galaxy clusters [2] warp and distort this space-time. This causes light from more distant objects hidden behind this makeshift lens to be deflected and bent, leading to a bizarre array of optical effects -- for example, it caused a cosmic space invader to appear around cluster Abell 68 (heic1304 - http://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1304/) by creating mirror images of one galaxy, as well as smearing galaxies out into arcs, and creating multiple images of individual objects.

As well as creating these weird shapes, lensing also magnifies the images so that astronomers can see more detail. This means that distant objects that otherwise would be too distant and faint to be seen become visible -- something that Frontier Fields aims to exploit over the coming years.

Some results from this programme are already starting to emerge, with Abell 2744 as the first target. In a new paper submitted to the Astrophysical Journal on 29 November 2013 (available on the ArXiv Preprint Server - http://arxiv.org/abs/1311.7670), a group of astronomers detected a large number of distant, gravitationally lensed galaxy candidates -- all viewed through Abell 2744, with the galaxy cluster acting as a lens. They also found that five of these candidates are part of distant systems that appear to have been imaged multiple times due to the cluster's gravitational lensing effects. These deep surveys using massive galaxy clusters like Abell 2744 show that looking through cosmic lenses can be an effective and useful way to study the distant Universe.



INFORMATION:

For more information on gravitational lensing see Hubblecast 70: Peering around cosmic corners (http://www.spacetelescope.org/videos/hubblecast70a/).

Notes

[1] A typical Hubble observing programme lasts from a few to a few tens of orbits.

[2] All objects that have mass affect the space around them in this way, but huge clumps of mass like galaxy clusters do so more strongly.

Notes for editors

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.

More information

Image credit: NASA, ESA, and J. Lotz, M. Mountain, A. Koekemoer, and the HFF Team (STScI).

Links

* ESA/Hubble Science Announcement: [Start of Hubble Frontier Fields observations] - http:/ http://www.spacetelescope.org/forscientists/announcements/sci13006/

Contacts

Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Cell: +1-410-338-4514
Email: villard@stsci.edu

Nicky Guttridge
ESA/Hubble, Public Information Officer
Garching, Germany
Tel: +49-89-3200-6855
Cell: +44 7512 318322
Email: nguttrid@partner.eso.org



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Out-of-this-world first light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager

2014-01-08
Out-of-this-world first light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager After nearly a decade of development, construction and testing, the world's most advanced instrument for directly imaging and analyzing planets orbiting around other stars is pointing ...

Hubble unveils a deep sea of small and faint early galaxies

2014-01-08
Hubble unveils a deep sea of small and faint early galaxies UC Riverside-led research shows the galaxies are the faintest and most numerous ever seen in the early universe RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A team of scientists led by astronomers at the University ...

Neuroscience study uncovers new player in obesity

2014-01-08
Neuroscience study uncovers new player in obesity A protein directs appetite suppressor in the brain; implications for obesity treatment BOSTON (January 7, 2014, 5:00 pm ET) — A new neuroscience study sheds light on the biological underpinnings ...

Finding about classic suppressor of immunity points toward new therapies for bad infections

2014-01-08
Finding about classic suppressor of immunity points toward new therapies for bad infections AUGUSTA, Ga. - A well-documented suppressor of immunity that's used by fetuses and tumors alike, just may be able to change its spots, researchers ...

Study: 'Living Room' offers alternative treatment for emotional distress

2014-01-08
Study: 'Living Room' offers alternative treatment for emotional distress Patients perceive nonclinical care setting as 'helpful and positive' CHICAGO — Emergency departments may not be the best choice for persons suffering from severe mental illness or emotional distress. ...

AGU journal highlights -- Jan. 7, 2014

2014-01-08
AGU journal highlights -- Jan. 7, 2014 The following highlights summarize research papers that have been recently published in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) and Water Resources Research (WRR). In this release: Kīlauea magma chamber inflation triggered ...

Microbe community changes may reduce Amazon's ability to lock up carbon dioxide

2014-01-08
Microbe community changes may reduce Amazon's ability to lock up carbon dioxide UT Arlington researchers focusing on the Amazon recently found that widespread conversion from rainforest to pastureland has significant effects on microorganism communities that ...

New research study: The snowball effect of overfishing

2014-01-08
New research study: The snowball effect of overfishing TALLAHASSEE – Florida State University researchers have spearheaded a major review of fisheries research that examines the domino effect that occurs when too many fish are harvested from one habitat. The ...

The epigenetics of breast cancer family history

2014-01-08
The epigenetics of breast cancer family history Breast cancer runs in families; however, genetic predisposition (such as being BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers) explains only a portion of this observation. Epigenetic changes (modifications in the genome that alter gene ...

Perceived benefits of e-cigarettes may lead to higher experimentation rates

2014-01-08
Perceived benefits of e-cigarettes may lead to higher experimentation rates New study finds link between common beliefs and e-cigarette use among young adults Ann Arbor, MI, January 7, 2014 – Despite years of anti-smoking education and legislation, tobacco use still ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Older teens who start vaping post-high school risk rapid progress to frequent use

Corpse flowers are threatened by spotty recordkeeping

Riding the AI wave toward rapid, precise ocean simulations

Are lifetimes of big appliances really shrinking?

Pink skies

Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research

Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered

% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?

An app can change how you see yourself at work

NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals

New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China

Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds

Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea

New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea

Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes

Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others

Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke

Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition

Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life

Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy

Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming

Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly

Alcohol makes male flies sexy

TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income

Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression

Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring

Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs

AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders

First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes

Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows

[Press-News.org] Pandora's magnifying glass
First image from Hubble's Frontier Fields