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
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
Image Use Policy
Questions & Answers
Glossary of Terms
JKCS041: Galaxy Cluster Smashes Distance Record
JKCS041
JKCS041
Visual Description:

  • The most distant galaxy cluster yet has been discovered using Chandra and optical and infrared telescopes.

  • At some 10.2 billion light years away, the galaxy cluster is seen when the Universe was only one quarter of its current age.

  • This object, known as JKCS041, may help scientists better understand how the Universe developed at this crucial stage.

This is a composite image of the most distant galaxy cluster yet detected. This image contains X-rays from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, optical data from the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and optical and infrared data from the Digitized Sky Survey. This record-breaking object, known as JKCS041, is observed as it was when the Universe was just one quarter of its current age. X-rays from Chandra are displayed here as the diffuse blue region, while the individual galaxies in the cluster are seen in white in the VLT's optical data, embedded in the X-ray emission.

JKCS041 was originally detected in 2006 with infrared observations from the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT). The distance to the cluster was then determined from optical and infrared observations from UKIRT, the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope in Hawaii and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. However, scientists were not sure if it was a true galaxy cluster, rather than one that has been caught in the act of forming. The shape and extent of the X-ray emission in the Chandra data, however, provided the definitive evidence that showed that JKCS041 was, indeed, a galaxy cluster. The Chandra data also allowed scientists to rule out other possible explanations for the data, including a group of galaxies, or a filament of galaxies seen along the line of sight.

Galaxy clusters are the largest gravitationally-bound objects in the Universe. Scientists have calculated when they should start assembling in the early Universe, and JKCS041, at a distance of some 10.2 billion light years, is on the early edge of that epoch. Follow-on observations of JKCS041 will provide scientists with an opportunity to find important information about how the Universe evolved at this crucial stage.

Visual Description:

The image features a galaxy cluster, JKCS041, which appears as a bright blue diffuse blob in the center of the frame. The galaxy cluster is surrounded by smaller dots of light, mostly other galaxies, which are shown in various shades of blue and yellow. The galaxy cluster has a flattened round shape. This is a composite image of the most distant galaxy cluster detected at the time of observation. It contains X-rays from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory (in blue), optical data from the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and optical and infrared data from the Digitized Sky Survey (both combined in white and yellow). This record-breaking object is observed as it was when the Universe was just one quarter of its current age.

 

Fast Facts for JKCS041:
Credit  X-ray: NASA/CXC/INAF/S.Andreon et al Optical: DSS; ESO/VLT
Release Date  October 22, 2009
Scale  Image is 370 arcsec across
Category  Groups & Clusters of Galaxies
Coordinates (J2000)  RA 02h 26m 44s | Dec -04° 41´ 45"
Constellation  Cetus
Observation Date  11/23/2007
Observation Time  20 hours and 50 minutes
Obs. ID  9368
Instrument  ACIS
References  S.Andreon, et al., 2009, A&A, accepted
Color Code  X-ray (blue); Optical (Red, Green, Cyan)
Optical
X-ray
Distance Estimate  About 10.2 billion light years
distance arrow
Rate This Image

  • Currently 3.80/5
Rating: 3.8/5
(614 votes cast)
Download & Share

More Information
Press Room: JKCS041
Blog: JKCS041
Space Math Problem: JKCS041
More Images
Chandra X-ray Image of JKCS041
Jpg, Tif
X-ray

More Images
Animation & Video
Tour of JKCS041
animation

More Animations
Related Information
Related Podcast
Top Rated Images
RACS J0320-35
  • Currently 4.39/5
MSH 15-52
  • Currently 4.17/5
Cassiopeia A
  • Currently 4.07/5



FaceBookTwitterYouTubeFlickr