Abell 2029 Press Release
Abell 2029: In the News
The last project that I worked on for my PhD dissertation focused on the galaxy cluster Abell 2029. Using the deepest X-ray observations ever taken of this cluster with NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory, we found clear evidence that Abell 2029 — long considered the “most relaxed cluster in the universe” — is still recovering from a collision with a smaller cluster about 4 billion years ago. We found a sloshing spiral, a shock front, and a couple of other fun features we nicknamed the “bay” and the “splash.” Turns out even the calmest-looking corners of the universe have a past.
I submitted our findings to the Astophysical Journal and our work was published on 12/31/2025. NASA’s Chandra Observatory put out a press release on May 12th, and since then, the story has been picked up by many other outlets, giving my work so much recognition! The highlight for me was being selected as NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day on May 21, 2026.
This work was done during my PhD at Boston University and my time as a predoctoral fellow at CfA. Huge thanks to my collaborators, especially my PI Elizabeth Blanton, for making it possible.