Galactic Metropolis

Spitzer_sig10-005_1024

spitzer_sig10-005 May 11th, 2010

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Subaru/C. Papovich (Texas A&M Univ.)

A surprisingly large collections of galaxies (red dots) stands out at a remarkably large distance in this composite image combining infrared and visible-light observations. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope contributed to the infrared component of the observations, while shorter-wavelength infrared and visible data are provided by Japan's Subaru telescope atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

Looking out to this distance, the cluster appears as it was 9.6 billion years ago, only about three billion years after the Big Bang. Astronomers were surprised to find such a "modern" cluster at an era when its peers tended to be much smaller, presumably taking billions of more years to collect enough galaxies to reach such a size.

Infrared light from Spitzer at wavelengths of 3.6 and 4.5 microns is displayed in red. Subaru observations of near infrared and visible light with wavelengths of 0.9 and 0.44 microns are rendered in green and blue, respectively. The purple overlay is a calculated measure of overall galaxy density and highlights the high concentration of galaxies in the distant cluster.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/3106-sig10-005-Galactic-Metropolis

Curator: Spitzer Science Center, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
ClG J02182-05102 XMM-LSS 02182-05102
Subject - Distant Universe
Galaxy > Grouping > Cluster
Cosmology > Morphology > Deep Field

Distance

Universescale3
9,600,000,000 light years
Spitzer_sig10-005_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 2h 18m 20.4s
DEC = -5° 9’ 53.4”
Orientation
North is up
Field of View
11.1 x 8.1 arcminutes
Constellation
Cetus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Red Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.5 µm
Red Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.6 µm
Green Subaru (Suprime) Infrared (Near-IR) 900.0 nm
Blue Subaru (Suprime) Optical (B-band) 440.0 nm
Purple overlay is a calculated measurement of cluster density.
Spectrum_base
Red
Red
Green
Blue
Spitzer_sig10-005_1280
×
ID
sig10-005
Subject Category
D.5.5.3.   D.6.1.1.  
Subject Name
ClG J02182-05102, XMM-LSS 02182-05102
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Subaru/C. Papovich (Texas A&M Univ.)
Release Date
2010-05-11
Lightyears
9,600,000,000
Redshift
1.62
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/3106-sig10-005-Galactic-Metropolis
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Spitzer, Spitzer, Subaru, Subaru
Instrument
IRAC, IRAC, Suprime, Suprime
Color Assignment
Red, Red, Green, Blue
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Optical
Bandpass
Near-IR, Near-IR, Near-IR, B-band
Central Wavelength
4500, 3600, 900, 440
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
P
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
34.5851450, -5.1648245
Reference Dimension
3300.0, 2400.0
Reference Pixel
1651.0, 1201.0
Scale
5.62049e-05, 5.6204879e-05
Rotation
-0.03
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
WCS retrieved using CXCs PinpointWCS
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Science Center
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
MS 220-6, 1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
Public Domain
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
sig10-005.tif
Metadata Date
2011-09-02
Metadata Version
1.1
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
9,600,000,000 light years

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