Revealing the largest gravitational lens PLCK G287.0+32.9

We propose to investigate the peculiar and extremely large gravitational lens PLCK G287.0+32.9, discovered as one of the most massive objects in SZ measurements by Planck. Our follow-up of the cluster with optical WFI ground based imaging shows evident strong lensing features in the cluster core. The outer arcs, confirmed at z=1.167 from our recent VIMOS observations, is at a distanceof ~85" from the brightest and centrally located galaxy of the cluster, which makes PLCK G287.0+32.9 a candidate for the largest strong lens in the sky. If confirmed, this would significantly add to the tension of observed Einstein radii with predictions from Lambda-CDM. To this end, we require high resolution spatial imaging of the cluster to verify its large lensing features and further investigate its properties. Our goal is to use the HST photometry with our recent VLT/VIMOS spectroscopic datasets to perform a robust and detailed strong lensing analysis of this cluster. We aim to trace the total mass distribution of PLCK G287.0+32.9 by combining the strong lensing features with our WFI weak lensing analysis.