Astronomers have obtained unprecedented views of the Bullet Cluster, a galaxy cluster 3.7 billion light-years from Earth, using the James Webb Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The observations reveal how dark matter is distributed within the cluster.
The collision between two galaxy clusters is believed to have begun around 150 million years ago. This rare event created an even more massive lens that magnifies light on faint objects, a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing. By analyzing the light from intracluster stars, which are stripped from their galaxies during collisions, researchers can trace the distribution of dark matter.
The latest data from JWST and Chandra X-ray Observatory allowed astronomers to create an accurate map of mass within the Bullet Cluster. The combined observations revealed that hot gas was pulled out of the galaxy clusters and left behind in the central region, while the dark matter associated with individual galaxy clusters stayed intact.
This stunning image, a composite of JWST’s near-infrared data and Chandra’s X-ray data, shows clumps and stretched-out lines of mass that were previously unknown. These newfound structures could be signatures of a chaotic history, suggesting multiple collisions over billions of years.
Future observations with NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will provide a complete picture of the Bullet Cluster, unraveling its mysteries. The James Webb Space Telescope has provided an unprecedented view of this rare event, shedding light on the distribution of dark matter within galaxy clusters.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/bang-james-webb-telescope-catches-stray-galaxies-in-the-bullet-cluster-space-photo-of-the-week