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Gravitational Lensing in Galaxy Cluster Abell 2218 The Vault

Abell 2218, an enormous cluster of galaxies that resides in the constellation Draco some 2 billion light-years from Earth, is so massive that its gravitational field magnifies, brightens, and distorts the light of more distant objects. The phenomenon, known as a gravitational lens, is evident by the arc-shaped patterns found throughout the Hubble image. These "arcs" are actually distorted images of very distant galaxies, which lie five to 10 times farther than Abell 2218. This distant population existed when the universe was just a quarter of its current age. The tiny red dot just left of top center also intrigues researchers. They believe it may be an extremely remote object made visible by the cluster's magnifying powers. This is the second time Hubble observed this cluster. In 1994, scientists analyzed a black-and-white Hubble image and discovered more than 50 remote, young galaxies. The color imagery shown here is even more useful. Colors yield clues to ages, distances, and temperatures of stars.

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