1 min read
Galaxy HUDF-JD2 in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field
This image demonstrates how data from two of NASA's Great Observatories, the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes, are used to identify one of the most distant galaxies ever seen. This galaxy is unusually massive for its youthful age of 800 million years. (After the Big Bang, the Milky Way by comparison, is approximately 13 billion years old.)
[Left] - The galaxy, named HUDF-JD2, was pinpointed among approximately 10,000 others in a small area of sky called the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF). This is the deepest image of the universe ever made at optical and near-infrared wavelengths.
[Upper Right] - A blow-up of one small area of the HUDF is used to identify where the distant galaxy is located (inside green circle). This indicates that the galaxy's visible light has been absorbed by traveling billions of light-years through intervening hydrogen.
[Center Right] - The galaxy was detected using Hubble's Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS). But at near-infrared wavelengths it is very faint and red.
[Bottom Right] - The Spitzer Infrared Array Camera (IRAC), easily detects the galaxy at longer infrared wavelengths. Spitzer's IRAC is sensitive to the light from older, redder stars which should make up most of the mass in a galaxy. The brightness of the infrared galaxy suggests that it is quite massive.
About the Object
- R.A. PositionR.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.03h 32m 39.99s
- Dec. PositionDec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.-27° 48' 0.0"
- ConstellationConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.Fornax
- DistanceDistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.This galaxy has a redshift of z = 6.5.
About the Data
- Data DescriptionData DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.The HUDF image was created from HST data from proposal 9978: S. Beckwith, S. Malhotra, M. Giavalisco, N. Panagia, J. Rhoads, M. Stiavelli, R. Somerville, S. Casertano, B. Margon, C. Blades, J. Caldwell, and M. Clampin (STScI), M. Corbin (CSC), M. Dickinson, H. Ferguson, and A. Fruchter (STScI), R. Hook (STScI/ECF), S. Jogee, A. Koekemoer, R. Lucas, M. Sosey and L. Bergeron (STScI). The NICMOS HUDF image was created from HST data from proposal: 9803: R. Thompson (U. Arizona), G. Illingworth and R. Bouwens (UCSC), M. Dickinson (STScI), D. Eisenstein and X. Fan (U. Arizona), M. Franx (U. Leiden), M. Rieke (U. of Arizona) , A. Riess (STScI) , P. van Dokkum (Yale U.). The science team for HUDF-JD2 includes: B. Mobasher (STScI/ESA); M. Dickinson (NOAO); H.C. Ferguson and M. Giavalisco (STScI); T. Wiklind (STScI/ESA); D. Stark and R.S. Ellis (Caltech); M. Fall (STScI); N. A. Grogin (JHU); L. Moustakas (STScI); N. Panagia (STScI/ESA); M. Sosey, M. Stiavelli, E. Bergeron, and S. Casertano (STScI); P. Ingram (Gemini Obs.); A. Koekemoer (STScI); I. Labbe (Carnegie Obs.); M. Livio (STScI); B. Rogers (Gemini Obs.); C. Scarlata (Inst. for Astronomy, Zurich, Switzerland); J. Venet, A. Renzini and P. Rosati (ESO); H. Kuntschner, M. Kummel, and J.R. Walsh (STECF/ESO). The Spitzer science team includes: H. Yan (SSC, Caltech), M Dickinson (NOAO), D Stern (JPL), P.R.M. Eisenhardt (JPL), R.-R. Chary (SSC, Caltech), M. Giavalisco (STScI), H.C. Ferguson (STScI), S. Casertano (STScI), C.J. Conselice (Caltech), C. Papovich (Steward), W.T. Reach (SSC, Caltech), N. Grogin (STScI), L.A. Moustakas (JPL), M. Ouchi (STScI). - InstrumentInstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.HST>ACS/WFC, HST>NICMOS, and SST/IRAC
- Exposure DatesExposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.September 24, 2003 - January 16, 2004 (ACS), September 3, 2003 - November 27, 2003 (NICMOS), and February 2004 (IRAC)
- FiltersFiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.ACS: F435W (B), F606W (V), F775W (I), F850LP (z) NICMOS: F110W (J110) and F160W (H160) IRAC: 3.6 microns, 4.5 microns, 5.8 microns, and 8.0 microns
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.Hubble Ultra Deep Field; HUDF, HUDF-JD2, UDF033238.74-274839.9
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.High-Redshift Galaxy in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field
- Release DateSeptember 27, 2005
- Science ReleaseSpitzer and Hubble Team Up to Find “Big Baby” Galaxies in the Newborn Universe
- Credit
HUDF Image (left) Blue: F435W (B) Green: F606W (V) + F775W (I) Red: F850LP (z)
Related Images & Videos
Galaxy HUDF-JD2 – Infrared
The Spitzer Infrared Array Camera (IRAC), easily detected the galaxy at longer infrared wavelengths. Spitzer's IRAC is sensitive to the light from older, redder stars which should make up most of the mass in a galaxy. The brightness of the infrared galaxy suggests that it is...
Share
Details
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
