Astronomy Picture of the Day - Sonified: The Matter of the Bullet Cluster

APOD.NASA.gov ^ | 16 Dec, 2020 | Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/STScI, Magellan/U.Arizona; Lensing Map: NASA/STScI,

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: What's the matter with the Bullet Cluster? This massive cluster of galaxies (1E 0657-558) creates gravitational lens distortions of background galaxies in a way that has been interpreted as strong evidence for the leading theory: that dark matter exists within. Different analyses, though, indicate that a less popular alternative -- modifying gravity-- could explain cluster dynamics without dark matter, and provide a more likely progenitor scenario as well. Currently, the two scientific hypotheses are competing to explain the observations: it's invisible matter versus amended gravity. The duel is dramatic as a clear Bullet-proof example of dark matter would shatter the simplicity of modified gravity theories. The featured sonified image is a Hubble/Chandra/Magellan composite with red depicting the X-rays emitted by hot gas, and blue depicting the suggested separated dark matter distribution. The sonification assigns low tones to dark matter, mid-range frequencies to visible light, and high tones to X-rays. The battle over the matter in the Bullet cluster is likely to continue as more observations, computer simulations, and analyses are completed.

[MtnClimber]

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then zoom by moving the magnifying glass over an area and then clicking. The side bars will move the zoomed area over the photograph.

[MtnClimber]

[MtnClimber]

Pinging the APOD list.

🪐 🌟 🌌

[blueunicorn6]

So they have two theories to explain this.

I think they need a third theory.

Here’s my theory:

Giant Pix-E-Stix.

Remember those granular candies in a straw?

They would turn your tongue red or blue.

Where’s my Nobel Prize?

[ZOOKER]

You should always go with the simplest explanation for observed phenomena.

Here it is: invisible galactic police cruiser.

[blueunicorn6]

Yeah.

You’re probably right.

But, using my wife’s new phrase,

“You May be right but I’m not wrong.”

[MtnClimber]

It could be a blue cheese cheeseburger - rare.

[blueunicorn6]

Yes.

Yes.

I can see that....................................

Nope.

Sorry.

I even turned my head sideways.

Now my neck hurts and I’m worried that I might not know what a cheeseburger looks like anymore.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

BMM = Black Matter Matters, the rallying cry of many leftist astronomers and physicists.

VERSUS:

GM - Gravity Matters, a theory which has a lot of intellectual pull on many other astronomers and physicists

I’m with the third school of “Matter”.
AMM - All Matter Matters

and anything that is not “matter” doesn’t matter. So there!

[F450-V10]

These photos of remote galaxies showing up with gravitational lensing just blow me away. Little elongated smudges, thousands of them in just a fraction of an arcsecond of space. The Hubble Deep photos just floor me. I can still remember learning astronomy growing up in the 60s, with smudgy black & white photos of galaxies in S&T. Now they can classify 10,000 more for each one seen 50 years ago. I can’t wait to see what God’s universe looks like up close.

[MtnClimber]

I’m not going to get another personal injury lawsuit am I?

[blueunicorn6]

Nope.

I settle my disputes the old fashioned way, I have my wife beat people up.

[SuperLuminal]

"The duel is dramatic as a clear Bullet-proof example of dark matter would shatter the simplicity of modified gravity theories."

What a crock!
More blather crap from a government agency science publicist...
The bullet cluster is a high velocity outlier in the millions of high velocity clusters observed... Only a couple like it have been observed...

There is nothing about the bullet cluster that will "shatter" theories other than the "theory" of the theory of dark matter...

[F450-V10]

These photos of remote galaxies showing up with gravitational lensing just blow me away. Little elongated smudges, thousands of them in just a fraction of an arcsecond of space. The Hubble Deep photos just floor me. I can still remember learning astronomy growing up in the 60s, with smudgy black & white photos of galaxies in S&T. Now they can classify 10,000 more for each one seen 50 years ago. I can’t wait to see what God’s universe looks like up close.

[Red Badger]

My theory:

There’s a giant humongous Black Hole there that has already consumed its own galaxy and possibly a few more.

But you can’t see it......................