Galaxy Zoo Talk

Grav lens candidate, arcs SDSS J122718.10+585322.8 and SDSS J122718.45+585321.2

  • JeanTate by JeanTate

    The galaxy perhaps doing the lensing is hidden behind/within the glare of the foreground star (SDSS J122717.77+585317.8); here are the apparent arcs (z_ph 0.49 GALAXY SDSS J122718.10+585322.8 and z_ph ?? GALAXY SDSS J122718.45+585321.2):

    enter image description here

    This set of objects is apparently within an overlapping pair of galaxy clusters, one at z~0.48 (the reddish-orange blobs), the other z~0.37 (the greenish blobs, inc. a possible Green Pea or two); though that's not so obvious in this zoomed-out view:

    enter image description here

    First posted (as far as I know) in the RGZ Talk thread ARG00006dn - very interesting field, optically; including gravitational lens?

    Posted

  • Budgieye by Budgieye moderator

    Hi Jean, your images didn't come up for me, SDSS maybe down.

    Posted

  • JeanTate by JeanTate in response to Budgieye's comment.

    Weird; they're there for me, now.

    Here's the DR7 Explore version:

    enter image description here

    Posted

  • Budgieye by Budgieye moderator

    Yes, images are back up. Is there something in the radio data that alerted you? I think it is a star, but maybe something is happening there.

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  • JeanTate by JeanTate in response to Budgieye's comment.

    Is there something in the radio data that alerted you?

    No; there are radio sources in the more distant cluster (and perhaps the closer one too), but this gravlens candidate is not.

    I think it is a star, but maybe something is happening there.

    There's definitely an optical point-source; however, there's also a red blob (to the E), which makes me wonder if this is a chance alignment, possibly with a massive galaxy (at z ~0.5) acting as lens, but it's 'hidden' behind the star ...

    Posted

  • Dolorous_Edd by Dolorous_Edd

    Frankly, it doesn't look like a grav lens

    however, there's also a red blob (to the E)

    IMHO a curvature of the arc doesn't align with the galaxy and

    but it's 'hidden' behind the star ...

    seems like a too much quessing

    and color .. usually the are bluish

    I am not an expert .. i don't proclame anything

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  • sat666leg by sat666leg

    just looks like gas and dust to me.. probably 2 distant galaxies merging..
    i thought grav lens would create a symetric image if lensed ie. you should get the same image on the opposite side of the galaxy...? but i know nothinggggg.

    Posted