El Gordo (galaxy cluster)

ACT-CL J0102-4915
El Gordo consists of two separate galaxy subclusters colliding at several million
kilometres per hour.
Observation data (Epoch J2000.0[1])
Constellation(s)Phoenix
Right ascension01h 02m 52.50s[1]
Declination−49° 14′ 58.0″[1]
Redshift0.87[1]
Other designations
El Gordo,[1] ACT-CL J0102-4915,[2] SPT-CL J0102-4915[2]
This video shows the distant merging galaxy cluster ACT-CL J0102−4915.

El Gordo (lit. The Fat One) (ACT-CL J0102-4915 or SPT-CL J0102-4915) is the largest distant galaxy cluster observed at its distance or beyond, as of 2011. As of 2014, it held the record for being the largest distant galaxy cluster to have been discovered with a mass of slightly less than three quadrillion solar masses[3][4][5][6] although later its mass was reduced to about 2.1×1015 (2.1 quadrillion) solar masses with a 10% uncertainty.[7] It was found by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (funded by the National Science Foundation) and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope.[8]

This galaxy cluster, officially named as, 'ACT-CL J0102-4915', has been given a 'nickname' by the researchers as 'El Gordo', which stands for "the Fat One" or "the Big One" in Spanish. It is located more than 7 billion light-years from Earth.[9]

Findings and results on 'El Gordo' were announced at the 219th meeting of American Astronomical Society in Austin, Texas.[10]

  1. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference NED was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Guinness World Records 2014, Page 030.
  4. ^ Boen, Brooke; Dunbar, Brian (16 April 2014). "Monster "El Gordo" Galaxy Cluster is Bigger Than Thought". NASA. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  5. ^ NASA, "El Gordo Galaxy Cluster" Archived 2012-01-13 at the Wayback Machine, 10 January 2012 (accessed 7 July 2012)
  6. ^ Monster NASA "Monster "El Gordo" Galaxy Cluster is Bigger Than Thought"
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kim2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ CNN News 'Fat' galaxy cluster discovered 7 billion light-years away Archived 2017-08-16 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "NASA's Chandra Finds Largest Galaxy Cluster in Early Universe". Archived from the original on 2017-05-01. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  10. ^ Choi, Charles (January 10, 2012). "Monster Galaxy Cluster 'El Gordo' Packs Mass of 2 Quadrillion Suns". Space.com. Space.com. Retrieved April 13, 2017.