NASA Telescope Discovers New Details about Huge Galaxy Group

NASA Telescope Discovers New Details about Huge Galaxy¹ Group

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has discovered new details about a huge grouping of galaxies² known as Pandora's Cluster.

The American space agency says Webb captured the new details in a single image with its powerful infrared³ instruments. The findings are expected to help astronomers⁴ learn new things about the development of galaxies and how they influence each other.

Pandora's Cluster is officially known as Abell 2744. NASA reports the cluster is believed to have formed from several smaller galaxy clusters over a period of about 350 million years.

In the past, Pandora's Cluster was observed by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. It has also been studied by the space agency's Chandra X-ray Observatory⁶, as well as by several land-based telescopes that collected image and radio data.

The cluster has long been an observational favorite of scientists because of its ability to magnify more distant galaxies. This happens because the combined mass of the galaxy clusters creates a powerful gravitational lens, NASA reports.

This lens is created by a natural, magnifying effect of gravity. The process permits "much more distant galaxies in the early universe to be observed by using the cluster like a magnifying glass," NASA says.

The method permits scientists to observe structures from the early universe that may not otherwise be seen.

The Hubble was only able to carry out detailed⁷ observations of Pandora's center. But NASA says Webb used the lensing method to observe multiple areas of the cluster. This resulted in never-before-seen details of Pandora, which includes galaxies of different ages, sizes and shapes.

Astronomers used Webb's infrared instruments together with the cluster's own gravitational lens to create a detailed image of more than 50,000 sightings of near-infrared light.

Rachel Bezanson is an astronomer⁵ with the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. She is also an investigator⁸ with the UNCOVER program, which seeks to use Webb observations to reach certain science goals.

She said in a statement that when the new images of Pandora's Cluster began to come in, she and other team members felt "star-struck."

"There was so much detail in the foreground cluster and so many distant lensed galaxies, I found myself getting lost in the image, Bezanson added. "Webb exceeded our expectations."

NASA said the team used Webb's Near-Infrared Camera to observe Pandora's Cluster with exposures lasting⁹ four to six hours. This resulted in a total observing time of about 30 hours.

Astronomer Ivo Labbe is with Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. She is also an investigator on the UNCOVER program. Labbe said the new Webb image clearly shows elements from hundreds of distant galaxies. When examined closely, the image suggests the existence of more and more galaxies within Pandora's Cluster.

The image, Labbe, added, showed a stronger, wider, deeper and better lens than had ever been seen before. "My first reaction to the image was that it was so beautiful, it looked like a galaxy formation simulation," she said. "We had to remind ourselves that this was real data, and we are working in a new era of astronomy now."

The researchers say the next step for them is to closely examine the imaging data and identify galaxies for follow-up observations with another Webb instrument.

That instrument, the Near-Infrared Spectrograph, aims to produce exact distance measurements. It is also designed to provide additional, detailed data on the different structures contained in Pandora's Cluster. NASA says it plans to begin those Webb observations later this summer.

The space agency noted¹⁰ that the latest data collected by Webb has been publicly released. This move is meant to help astronomers around the world use the valuable new data to plan their own scientific studies of Pandora's Cluster.

Words in This Story

galaxy – n. a very large group of stars held together in the universe

magnify – v. to use equipment to make something appear larger

lens – n. a curved piece of glass used in cameras, glasses and scientific instruments to look at things

star-struck – adj. feeling great respect for famous or important peole

exceed – v. to be greater than a number or amount, or to go past a permitted limit

exposure – n. the amount of time a piece of film is open to light when making a photograph

simulation – n. a creation of something that behaves or looks like something real but is not

remind – v. to make someone think of something they have forgotten

era – n. a period in history that is special for a particular reason

1 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。

2 galaxies   

星系( galaxy的名词复数 )； 银河系； 一群（杰出或著名的人物）

参考例句：

• Quasars are the highly energetic cores of distant galaxies. 类星体是遥远星系的极为活跃的核心体。
• We still don't know how many galaxies there are in the universe. 我们还不知道宇宙中有多少个星系。

3 infrared   

adj./n.红外线(的)

参考例句：

• Infrared is widely used in industry and medical science.红外线广泛应用于工业和医学科学。
• Infrared radiation has wavelengths longer than those of visible light.红外辐射的波长比可见光的波长长。

4 astronomers   

n.天文学者，天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Astronomers can accurately foretell the date,time,and length of future eclipses. 天文学家能精确地预告未来日食月食的日期、时刻和时长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings. 天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 astronomer   

n.天文学家

参考例句：

• A new star attracted the notice of the astronomer.新发现的一颗星引起了那位天文学家的注意。
• He is reputed to have been a good astronomer.他以一个优秀的天文学者闻名于世。

6 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

7 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

8 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

9 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。