NRAO: National Radio Astronomy Observatory

About this Image

This remarkable image is the result of a gravitational lens, an intervening body massive enough to form multiple images of a distant quasar, by the gravitational deflection of light. Two images of the quasar are seen in this radio map - the A image is the bright point-like image north of center, and the B image is the bright point-like image south of center. The weak image just north of the B image coincides with the center of a large galaxy observed in the optical, which, along with the rich cluster of galaxies it lies in, is believed to be acting as the gravitational lens. The rest of the images seen in the map are due to extended radio emission associated with the quasar which have not been multiply imaged. The colors represent the intensity of the radio emission - red is bright, and blue is dim.

Investigator(s):  P. E. Greenfield, D. H. Roberts, and B. F. Burke

Alternate Resolutions

Help

This image is available in the following downloadable versions:

• 550 x 504 color JPEG
• 1050 x 962 color JPEG
• 2400 x 2198 color TIFF

If you would like to obtain a higher resolution version of this image, please contact Pat Smiley.

For More Information

• Up one level for more info on Cosmology
• For unfamiliar terms, visit the NRAO Radio Astronomy Glossary

Technical Data

Telescope	VLA
Date of Observation	1979-10-13
Type of Observation	Continuum Observations
Band	C
Wavelength	6 cm
Frequency	4.885 GHz
Center of Image	RA: 10:01:20.86, Dec: 55:53:49.90 (J2000)
Field of View	0.0053 x 0.0053 degrees
Technical Caption	VLA in hybrid configuration using 18 antennas. Resolution is 0.8 x 0.4 arcsec.



Astronomical database entries for RGB J1001 558B
• Query NED for images of RGB J1001 558B
• Query SIMBAD for more RGB J1001 558B data

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