Chandra X-ray Observatory - HomeAbout The ChandraEducational MaterialsField GuidePhoto AlbumPress RoomResources
Chandra X-ray Observatory - HomeChandra Photo Album - You are here
ObservatoryImages by DateImages by CategorySky MapConstellationsSpecial FeaturesChandra Zoom-insImage HandoutsScale Bar ImagesTutorial Chandra Images & False Color Note on Cosmic DistanceCosmic Look Back TimeScale & DistanceScale & Angular MeasurementImage Use
Web Site ToolsVisit the Chandra ChroniclesEmail NewsletterSite MapNew & NoteworthyImage Use PolicyQuestions & AnswersGlossaryDownload Guide

More Images of RDCS 1252.9-2927

1 Click for large jpg
Chandra X-ray Image of RDCS 1252.9-2927
The Chandra image of the galaxy cluster RDCS 1252.9-2927 shows emission from 70-million-degree Celsius gas. X-ray data indicate that this cluster formed more than 8 billion years ago and has a mass at least 200 trillion times that of the Sun. It is the most massive cluster ever observed at such an early stage in the evolution of the universe.
Scale: Image is 2 arcmin across.
(Credit: NASA/CXC/ESO/P.Rosati et al.)

2 Click for large jpg
VLT Optical & Near-Infrared Image of RDCS 1252.9-2927
This image combines optical and near-infrared (red, yellow, and green) emission from galaxies in the cluster RDCS 1252.9-2927 as taken by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Cerro Paranal.
Observations using the VLT provided a precise measurement of the distance to the cluster.
Scale: Image is 2 arcmin across.
(Credit: ESO/VLT/P.Rosati et al.)

3 Click for large jpg
HST Optical Image of RDCS 1252.9-2927
This Hubble image reveals the core of the cluster RDCS 1252.9-2927. Dominating the core are a pair of large, reddish elliptical galaxies [near center of image]. Their red color indicates an older population of stars. Most of the stars are at least 1 billion years old. The two galaxies appear to be interacting, and may eventually merge to form a larger galaxy that is comparable to the brightest galaxies seen in present-day clusters. The image was assembled from observations taken between May and June 2002 by the ACS Wide Field Camera.
Scale: Image is 1 arcmin across.
(Credit: NASA/ESA/J.Blakeslee (JHU)/M.Postman (STScI)/P.Rosati (ESO))
More Information

4 Click for large jpg
Chandra 3-Color X-ray Image of RDCS 1252.9-2927
This 3-color X-ray image shows a wider field of view (9.6 by 8.1 arcmin) around galaxy cluster RDCS 1252.9-2927 - the largest yellow-green source near the center of the image. Red represents low (0.5-1 keV), green represents medium (1-2 keV) and blue represents high (2-7 keV) energy X-rays. X-ray data indicate that the cluster formed more than 8 billion years ago and has a mass at least 200 trillion times that of the Sun. It is the most massive cluster ever observed at such an early stage in the evolution of the universe.
Scale: Image is 9.6 x 8.1 arcmin.
Credit: NASA/CXC/ESO/P.Rosati et al.

RDCS 1252.9-2927
Chandra X-ray/Optical Image with Scale Bar
Scale bar = 20 arcsec
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/ESO/P.Rosati et al.; Optical: ESO/VLT/P.Rosati et al.)


Return to RDCS 1252.9-2927 (02 Jan 04)

Chandra Images: '08 | ' 07 | ' 06 | ' 05 | ' 04 | ' 03 | ' 02 | ' 01 | ' 00 | ' 99 | Images by Category




separator line
CXC Home | Search | Help | Site Map | Image Use Policy | Privacy & Accessibility | Downloads & Plugins
Latest Images | New & Noteworthy | Multimedia | Flash Ecards | Glossary | Q&A | Guestbook


RSS Feed RSS Feed | Podcast Podcast | Blog Blog

[News by email: Chandra Digest]
[Contact us: cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu]
NASA's Home Page Smithsonian's Home Page CXC Home Page Image Map for NASA's, Smithsonian and Chandra's Home Pages
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
Phone: 617.496.7941 Fax: 617.495.7356


Text Size:
normal font large font larger font
Chandra X-ray Center, Operated for NASA by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
This site was developed with funding from NASA under Contract NAS8-03060.
Revised: August 30, 2006