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Remote Supernova Magnified by Massive Galaxy Cluster Abell 383
The heart of a vast cluster of galaxies called Abell 383 is shown in this image, taken in visible and near-infrared light by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.
The galaxy cluster is so massive that its gravity distorts, brightens, and magnifies light from more-distant objects behind it, an effect called gravitational lensing. The small white box at left marks the location of an exploding star called a supernova, located behind the cluster.
An enlarged view of the supernova, nicknamed Tiberius after the first century Roman emperor, is shown in the inset image at top right, taken on Jan. 18, 2011. The arrow pinpoints the supernova's location. The bright material beneath it is part of the host galaxy. The supernova is seen as it appeared 8 billion years ago.
The inset image at top left, taken in November 2010, shows the same region before the supernova blast. This image underscores the transient nature of exploding stars.
Both inset images were taken in visible light with Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys.
The supernova is one of three exploding stars discovered in the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH), and was followed up as part of a Supernova Cosmology Project HST program. CLASH is a Hubble census that probed the distribution of dark matter in 25 galaxy clusters. Dark matter cannot be seen directly but is believed to make up most of the universe's matter.
The image of the galaxy cluster was taken between November 2010 and February 2011 by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 and Advanced Camera for Surveys.
About the Object
- R.A. PositionR.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.02h 48m 1.99s
- Dec. PositionDec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.-3° 32' 15.0"
About the Data
- Data DescriptionData DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.The image was created from Hubble data from proposal 12065 (PI: M. Postman, STScI) - InstrumentInstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.HST>ACS/WFC and HST>WFC3/IR
- Exposure DatesExposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.November 2010 - February 2011
- FiltersFiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.Galaxy cluster image: ACS/WFC: F435W, F475W, F606W, F625W, F775W, F814W, and F850W WFC3/IR: F105W, F110W, F125W, F140W, and F160W November 2010 inset image: ACS/WFC: F814W January 2011 inset image: ACS/WFC: F814W
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.Abell 383, Supernova Tiberius
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.Galaxy Cluster and Gravitationally Lensed Supernovae
- Release DateMay 1, 2014
- Science ReleaseHubble Astronomers Check the Prescription of a Cosmic Lens
- Credit
Galaxy cluster image: Blue: F435W + F475W + F606W + F625W Green: F775W + F814W + F850W Red: F105W + F110W + F125W + F140W + F160W
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Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
