Distant cluster MS 1008.1-1224

The distant cluster of galaxies MS 1008.1-1224 is some 3 billion light-years distant (redshift z = 0.301). The galaxies in this cluster — that we observe as they were 3 billion years ago — are different from galaxies in our neighbourhood ; their stellar populations, on the average, are younger.

This is a composite VRI image with the individual exposures lasting 300 seconds; image quality 0.8 arcsec FWHM ; field 5 x 3 arcmin² ; North is to the right and East is up.