Credit: NASA, ESA, ESO, NRAO, NAOJ, JAO, M. Ouchi (University of Tokyo), R. Ellis (California Institute of Technology), Y. Ono (University of Tokyo), K. Nakanishi (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI) and Joint ALMA Observatory), K. Kohno and R. Momose (University of Tokyo), Y. Kurono (Joint ALMA Observatory), M. Ashby (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), K. Shimasaku (University of Tokyo), S. Willner and G. Fazio (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), Y. Tamura (University of Tokyo), and D. Iono (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan)

This image shows a giant primordial bubble of gas dubbed "Himiko" (after the queen of ancient Japan), as viewed by Hubble, Subaru, and Spitzer. The combination of three Hubble infrared bands is green, while Lyman-alpha emission captured by Subaru Suprime-Cam and infrared 3.6 micron taken by the Spitzer Infrared Array Camera are presented with blue and red, respectively. Astronomers using the combined power of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope have discovered that a trio of primitive galaxies are actually nestled inside this enormous gas blob. The rare triple system existed when the Universe was only 800 million years old. The trio may eventually merge into a single massive galaxy, researchers predict. Links: NASA Press release View of a primordial gas bubble dubbed Himiko Hubble view of Himiko Himiko (Hubble Close-up View)

Provider: Hubble Space Telescope | ESA

Image Source: https://www.spacetelescope.org/images/opo1353d/

Curator: ESA/Hubble, Garching bei München, Germany

Image Use Policy: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License