Images by Date
Images by Category
Solar System
Stars
Exoplanets
White Dwarfs
Supernovas
Neutron Stars
Black Holes
Milky Way Galaxy
Normal Galaxies
Quasars
Galaxy Clusters
Cosmology/Deep Field
Miscellaneous
Images by Interest
Space Scoop for Kids
4K JPG
Multiwavelength
Sky Map
Constellations
Photo Blog
Top Rated Images
Image Handouts
Desktops
Fits Files
Visual descriptions
Image Tutorials
Photo Album Tutorial
False Color
Cosmic Distance
Look-Back Time
Scale & Distance
Angular Measurement
Images & Processing
AVM/Metadata
Image Use Policy
Web Shortcuts
Chandra Blog
RSS Feed
Chronicle
Email Newsletter
News & Noteworthy
Image Use Policy
Questions & Answers
Glossary of Terms
Download Guide
Get Adobe Reader
Abell 521: A Galaxy Cluster Mash-up
Abell 521


This composite image shows the galaxy cluster Abell 521, located about 2.9 billion light years from Earth. A Chandra X-ray Observatory image, in blue, shows hot gas in the cluster, and an image from the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope in India shows radio emission in orange. The elongated shape of the X-ray emission shows that the cluster has undergone a violent collision, where another group or cluster of galaxies collided with the main cluster. The radio image shows a bright band of radio emission on the lower left portion of the X-ray gas, which is a separate source. The radio emission in the center of the cluster is bright at the relatively long wavelength of 125 cm (as shown), but is much fainter at shorter wavelengths. This variation in behavior agrees with theoretical predictions for acceleration of particles by turbulent waves generated by a violent collision. More observations with radio telescopes at these long wavelengths may result in the detection of hundreds or even thousands of colliding galaxy clusters.

Fast Facts for Abell 521:
Credit  X-ray (NASA/CXC/INAF/G.Brunetti et al.); Radio (NRAO/NSF/INAF/G.Brunetti et al.)
Release Date  October 15, 2008
Scale  Image is 14.2 arcmin across.
Category  Groups & Clusters of Galaxies
Coordinates (J2000)  RA 04h 54m 08.60s | Dec -10° 14´ 39.00"
Constellation  Eridanus
Observation Date  12/23/1999
Observation Time  11 hours
Obs. ID  901
Instrument  ACIS
Color Code  X-ray (Blue); Radio (Orange)
Radio
X-ray
Distance Estimate  About 2.9 billion light years
distance arrow
Visitor Comments (0)
Rate This Image

Rating: 3.8/5
(396 votes cast)
Download & Share

More Information
Press Room: Abell 521
More Images
Chandra X-ray Image
of Abell 521
Jpg, Tif
Illustration

More Images
Related Images
NGC 4696
NGC 4696
(24 Apr 06)

3C 75 in Abell 400
3C 75 in Abell 400
(06 Apr 06)

MS 0735.6+7421
MS 0735.6+7421
(05 Jan 05)

Related Information
Related Podcast
Top Rated Images
Guitar Nebula

Brightest Cluster Galaxies

Timelapses: Crab Nebula and Cassiopeia A




FaceBookTwitterYouTubeFlickr