A deep look into the diffuse light in clusters of galaxies.

One of the most striking observables of the hierarchical structure of the Universe is intracluster light (ICL). This is the diffuse light that permeates groups and clusters of galaxies, which consists of free-floating stars that are not bound to any galaxy. The ICL provides important clues to the formation and evolution of groups and clusters of galaxies, and thus to the physics governing our universe. However, much remains unknown about the origin and evolution of this component due to a lack of data of sufficient quality. In this talk, I will discuss how recent developments in ultra-deep imaging are accelerating our ability to understand the formation of the ICL and, by extension, clusters of galaxies. I will highlight new measurements from state-of-the-art facilities such as JWST and Euclid, and how we can use the ICL to better understand our Universe.