Abell 2218 – Hubble Space Telescope Image
Abell 2218 – Hubble Space Telescope Image
Abell 2218 spreads across this panoramic Hubble view as a densely populated field of galaxies, their gold, blue and amber light set against deep black. Near the centre, the brightest concentration gathers into a compact knot, while a softer, more diffuse grouping glows towards the upper right. Between them lie scores of smaller sources: some sharply defined, others reduced to faint flecks or narrow streaks.
Located in the constellation Draco at a redshift of z=0.17, Abell 2218 is classified as a galaxy cluster and as a field of gravitationally lensed galaxies from the early Universe. That context gives particular significance to the image’s slender, elongated forms and elusive arcs. Amid the rounder galaxies, these attenuated shapes appear almost drawn out across the darkness, making the field visually stranger the longer it is examined.
The strongest impression is one of extraordinary density without uniformity. Bright regions rise abruptly from broad intervals of black, and the balance shifts continually between crowded clusters and quieter spaces. Warm yellow and orange galaxies provide the dominant light, punctuated by cooler blue points and occasional traces of red and green.
A closer look
At the centre, numerous compact lights surround the brightest concentration, each differing subtly in colour and intensity. Moving left, round forms give way to several narrow, elongated structures. Higher in the frame, particularly towards the upper left and upper right, faint curved strands emerge only gently from the background; they are among the image’s most delicate features.
The lower portion is quieter at first glance, yet it contains a fine grain of dim galaxies and isolated points. Near the lower centre, one brighter streak cuts through the field, while along the edge subdued yellow-tinted highlights interrupt the black. Seen at large scale, these small variations prevent the darkness from feeling empty: it becomes the ground against which increasingly faint layers of the scene can be discerned.
Image details and provenance
- Subject: Abell 2218
- Object type: Galaxy cluster; gravitationally lensed early-Universe galaxy field
- Constellation: Draco
- Distance from Earth: z=0.17 (redshift)
- Telescope or observatories: Hubble Space Telescope
- Original release date: 24 July 2008, 17:00
- Image credit: NASA, ESA, and Johan Richard (Caltech, USA) Acknowledgement: Davide de Martin & James Long (ESA/Hubble)
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