We're delighted to present our second collaboration since the ASO at the Oukaimeden Observatory.

Thanks to the 20" CDK, we were able to immortalize this immense cluster of galaxies.

We named it Oukaimeden Observatory Deep Field, in homage to Hubble's Deep field, which is a reference image for all astrophotographers.

Also known as the Coma Cluster, Abell 1656 is one of the richest and most massive galaxy clusters in the nearby universe. Located around 321 million light-years away in the direction of the constellation Berenice's Hair, this cluster is one of the two main clusters of the Coma supercluster, along with the LEO cluster (Abell 1367). 
Abell 1656 is made up of over 1,000 galaxies linked by gravitational interaction. Its extremely high galaxy density means that they interact with each other gravitationally, often leading to collisions and mergers. These interactions can trigger the formation of new stars, and influence the shape and structure of the galaxies involved, often resulting in tidal tails.

The Coma cluster extends over a diameter of around 20 million light-years, making it one of the largest known galaxy clusters. Its galaxies vary in size and shape, some being spiral galaxies like our own Milky Way, while others are elliptical or irregular in shape.

The central region is dominated by two large elliptical galaxies, NGC 4874 and NGC 4889, located just a few degrees from the Galactic North Pole in the sky. While the ten brightest spiral galaxies are between 12 and 14 magnitude, observable with amateur telescopes over 200 mm in diameter.

Another interesting aspect of the Coma Cluster is its dark matter content. Dark matter is a mysterious form of matter that does not emit, absorb or reflect light. Consequently, it can only be detected by its gravitational effect on visible matter. The presence of dark matter in the Coma cluster can be inferred from the way galaxies move within the cluster, and from the gravitational lensing effects observed when light from more distant galaxies is bent by the cluster's gravity.

The study of galaxy clusters such as Abell 1656 can provide valuable information on galaxy formation and evolution, as well as on the large-scale structure of the universe. By analyzing the distribution of galaxies, their motions and the interactions between them, astronomers can learn more about the nature of dark matter, the growth of supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies, and the influence of the cluster environment on galaxy evolution.