Astronomers captured a cosmic Jellyfish

Hubble image of the week – of bent time and Jellyfish.

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NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has recently captured the gravitational influence of a massive galaxy cluster called SDSS J1110+6459. The shape of this galaxy, as a matter of fact, gives off an impression of being to some degree strange. This is because of a cosmic phenomenon called gravitational lensing.

In this image, the gravitational influence of a massive galaxy cluster called SDSS J1110+6459 is causing the surrounding space-time to bend and warp, affecting the passage of any nearby light. A few more signs of lensing (streaks, blobs, curved lines, distorted shapes) can be seen dotted around the image.

This image also features a rare and interesting type of galaxy called a jellyfish galaxy, visible just right next to the cluster and apparently dripping bright blue material. These are galaxies that lose gas via a process called galactic ram pressure stripping, where the drag caused by the galaxy moving through space causes gas to be stripped away.

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