Perseus Cluster

The Perseus Cluster, also called Abell 426, is a massive galaxy cluster in the constellation Perseus, centered on the galaxy NGC 1275.

Intracluster medium: The diffuse plasma filling the space between galaxies in a galaxy cluster. Its hot, X-ray-emitting plasma dominates the cluster’s visible baryonic mass.
Abell 426: The Abell catalogue designation for the Perseus Cluster. This alternate name identifies the same cluster in astronomical catalogues.
Sunyaev–Zeldovich effect: The change in cosmic microwave background radiation caused by energetic electrons in intervening hot gas. Its signal can probe the Perseus Cluster’s thermal pressure independently of X-ray emission.
Perseus–Pisces Supercluster: A large concentration of galaxies and clusters forming a prominent structure in the nearby universe. The Perseus Cluster lies along the Perseus–Pisces chain of large-scale structure.
X-ray astronomy: The study of celestial objects through their emitted or absorbed X-rays. X-ray observations map the cluster’s hot gas and expose its central cavities.
Perseus Cluster X-ray cavities: Depressions in the Perseus Cluster’s X-ray-emitting gas, associated with bubbles of relativistic plasma. These cavities trace energy deposited by jets from NGC 1275.
Galaxy cluster mass measurement: Methods for estimating a galaxy cluster’s total mass from its motions, gas, or gravitational effects. Perseus observations compare X-ray, hydrostatic, and gravitational mass estimates.
Coma Cluster: A rich galaxy cluster in the constellation Coma Berenices, notable for its dense galaxy population. Coma provides a contrasting nearby benchmark for cluster structure and galaxy populations.
NGC 1275: A giant galaxy at the center of the Perseus Cluster, hosting an active galactic nucleus. Its central activity inflates cavities in the surrounding intracluster gas.
Perseus Cluster ripples: Concentric surface-brightness features in X-ray images of the Perseus Cluster. The ripples provide evidence for waves propagating through its hot gas.

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