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Chandra image of the core of the merging galaxy cluster Abell 520

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Dark Matter and Galaxies Part Ways in Collision between Hefty Ga

This composite image from the Chandra X-ray Observatory (operated for NASA by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory) shows the distribution of dark matter, galaxies, and hot gas in the core of the merging galaxy cluster Abell 520, formed from a violent collision of massive galaxy clusters that is located about 2.4 billion light years from Earth. Data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory show the hot gas in the colliding clusters colored in green. (chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2012/a520/)

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