Chandra Release - June 25, 2019

Visual Description: Cluster Merger

1E2215 and 1E2216 are two merging galaxy clusters that appear in this X-ray, optical, and radio composite image. These two galaxy clusters are predominantly blue-purple in color, with smudges of pink-magenta near the middle, and a lot of small white dots scattered around them. The galaxy clusters themselves are close together and shaped like large clumpy cotton balls. The cluster on the left is more round, with a large bright white center, and the cluster on the right is elongated and irregular. The overall shape of the two clusters together is like a blurry fairy flying with 2 very small pink wings. 1E2215 and 1E 2216 are among the most luminous galaxy clusters known in the universe, emitting intense X-ray radiation due to their high temperatures and strong gravitational fields. Chandra's X-ray data (blue-purple) have been combined with a radio image from the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in India (pink-magenta). These images were then overlaid on an optical image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey that shows galaxies and stars in the field of view.