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Two methods of measuring the mass of a galaxy

Two methods of measuring the mass of a galaxy


Date: 21 June 2018
Satellite: Hubble Space Telescope
Depicts: ESO 325-G004
Copyright: ESA/Hubble, ESO, NASA

This infographic compares the two methods used to measure the mass of the galaxy ESO 325-G004. The first method used ESO's Very Large Telescope to measure the velocities of stars in ESO 325-G004. The second method used the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to observe an Einstein ring caused by light from a background galaxy being bent and distorted by ESO 325-G004. By comparing these two methods of measuring the strength of the gravity of ESO 325-G004, it was determined that Einstein's general theory of relativity works on extragalactic scales – something that had not been previously tested.

Last Update: 1 September 2019
28-Mar-2024 15:16 UT

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https://sci.esa.int/s/wRd76G8

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