First Structures in the Distant Universe

Spitzer_ssc2012-08a1_1024

spitzer_ssc2012-08a1 June 7th, 2012

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC

Astronomers have uncovered the patterns of light that appear to be from the first stars and galaxies that formed in the universe, hidden within a strip of sky observed by NASAs Spitzer Space Telescope.

All of the resolved stars and galaxies have been masked out of the image (grey patches), and the remaining background glow has been smoothed and enhanced. This processing reveals a structure too faint to be seen in the original image.

The structure in this image matches just what we would expect for the patterns of clusters for the first galaxies formed in the universe. Even though any particular early galaxy would be too faint to see individually, this technique allows astronomers to better understand what things were like shortly after the Big Bang.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/5173-ssc2012-08a1-First-Structures-in-the-Distant-Universe

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy

View Options View Options

Download Options Download Options

Image Details Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Cosmic Infrared Background • Extended Groth Strip
Subject - Distant Universe
Cosmology > Morphology > Deep Field
Cosmology > Morphology > Cosmic Background
Spitzer_ssc2012-08a1_128
 

Position Details Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 14h 19m 11.8s
DEC = 52° 48’ 4.7”
Orientation
North is 49.5° CCW
Field of View
1.0 x 0.1 degrees
Constellation
Bootes

Color Mapping Details Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Pseudocolor Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.5 µm
Spectrum_base
Pseudocolor
Spitzer_ssc2012-08a1_1280
×
ID
ssc2012-08a1
Subject Category
D.6.1.1.   D.6.1.3.  
Subject Name
Cosmic Infrared Background, Extended Groth Strip
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC
Release Date
2012-06-07
Lightyears
Redshift
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/5173-ssc2012-08a1-First-Structures-in-the-Distant-Universe
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Spitzer
Instrument
IRAC
Color Assignment
Pseudocolor
Band
Infrared
Bandpass
Near-IR
Central Wavelength
4500
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
Reference Value
214.799200000, 52.8013110000
Reference Dimension
3096, 400
Reference Pixel
1594, 179
Scale
-3.33333328909451e-04, 3.33333328909451e-04
Rotation
49.50000019319
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Position
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Spitzer Space Telescope
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2012-08a1.tif
Resource URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/uploaded_files/images/0008/9311/ssc2012-08a1.tif
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2012-06-07
Metadata Version
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×

There is no distance meta data in this image.

 

Providers | Sign In

NASA’s Universe of Learning materials are based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC65A to the Space Telescope Science Institute, working in partnership with Caltech/IPAC, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The award is part of NASA’s Science Activation program, which strives to further enable NASA science experts and content into the learning environment more effectively and efficiently with learners of all ages.