Hubble Image Reveals Swarm of Galaxies in Cluster MACS0329-0211

Looking somewhat like a swarm of bees returning to their hive, the Hubble Space Telescope image features the galaxy cluster MACS0329-0211. Galaxy clusters like MACS0329-0211 are important signposts in the story of how the structure of the universe evolved, and are the ultimate telescopic lenses, placing gravitationally lensed galaxies from the earliest stages of the universe into our view.

Zoom into this galaxy swarm and you will find large, oval-shaped elliptical galaxies, thin spiral and lenticular galaxies viewed from the edge, and full, face-on spiral galaxies with curving spiral arms. The image’s upper-right quadrant holds faint arcs of distant galaxies gravitationally lensed by the cluster’s massive gravity, with the largest arc appearing above the bright oval shape of a giant elliptical galaxy.

Closer inspection of the center reveals several bright-white intersecting curves that form a distorted figure eight, which may be another distant galaxy whose light was magnified and distorted by the cluster’s gravity.

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