The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
Go to topicThank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!
Chandra X-ray image of Abell 576 overlaid with contours of the zones of significant radial velocities that are directed towards us.
The system Abell 576 actually consists of two galaxy clusters that have been caught by XMM while in the process of merging into one another.
The two giants are expected to eventually settle into a single, combined galaxy cluster. The discovery adds to existing evidence that galaxy clusters can collide faster than previously thought.
An incoming cluster has collided with the main cluster and the cores of the two clusters cores are deflected. The clusters have collided nearly head on, and one has passed through the other, like a bullet travelling through an apple. Abell 576 is seen head-on, so one cluster is now almost directly behind the other.