Posted on 06/03/2014 1:04:30 PM PDT by Red Badger
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have captured the most comprehensive picture ever assembled of the evolving universe—and one of the most colorful. The study is called the Ultraviolet Coverage of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field project.
Prior to this survey, astronomers were in a curious position. They knew a lot about star formation occurring in nearby galaxies thanks to UV telescope facilities such as NASA's Galex observatory, which operated from 2003 to 2013. And, thanks to Hubble's near-infrared and visible capability, they had also studied star birth in the most distant galaxies. We see these distant galaxies in their most primitive stages due to the vast amount of time it takes their light to reach us.
However, between 5 and 10 billion light-years away from us—corresponding to a time period when most of the stars in the Universe were born—there was a lack of the data needed to fully understand star formation. The hottest, most massive and youngest stars, which emit light in the ultraviolet, were often neglected as subjects of direct observation, leaving a significant gap in our knowledge of the cosmic timeline.
The addition of ultraviolet data to the Hubble Ultra Deep Field using Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 gives astronomers access to direct observations of regions of unobscured star formation and may help us to fully understand how stars formed. By observing at these wavelengths, researchers get a direct look at which galaxies are forming stars and, just as importantly, where the stars are forming. This enables astronomers to understand how galaxies like the Milky Way grew in size from small collections of very hot stars to the massive structures they are today.
The patch of sky in this image has been previously studied by astronomers in a series of visible and near-infrared exposures taken from 2004 to 2009: the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. Now, with the addition of ultraviolet light, they have combined the full range of colours available to Hubble, stretching all the way from ultraviolet to near- infrared light. The resulting image, made from 841 orbits of telescope viewing time, contains approximately 10 000 galaxies, extending back to within a few hundred million years of the Big Bang.
Since the Earth's atmosphere filters most ultraviolet light, this work can only be accomplished with a space-based telescope like Hubble. Ultraviolet surveys like this are incredibly important in planning for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) as Hubble is the only telescope currently able to obtain the ultraviolet data that researchers will need to combine with infrared data from JWST.
The Hubble Ultra Deep Field 2014 image is a composite of separate exposures taken from 2003 to 2012 with Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys and Wide Field Camera 3.
Explore further: NASA Hubble sees sparring antennae galaxies
Infinity makes me angry.
It intimidates the heck out of me
Generally I agree.But I think it’s a bad idea to think that our current grasp on physics is the be all end all of it.
As I said on a similar thread some time back, we still find new things all the time. New life, new ways to use old tricks ect. Only within the last 100 years have we discovered atomic energy. So we are a universe away (pun intended) from having it down pat.
One night America went to bed thinking a 2000 bomb was the ultimate destruction device. The next morning the whole new paradigm was like nothing they ever imagined. It WILL happen again...and again.
Could be worse. you could be a liberal. Then you’d be infinitely angry ;)
I read many sci-fi novels in my youth, many about this concept. The ones I remember most are of aliens traveling to Earth-like planets and only finding long-gone and dead civilizations. So many billions of years have gone by, and perhaps many civilizations have come and gone but none "nearby" while both are in existence. And "nearby" could mean millions of light-years distance. Maybe God wants it that way.
Point taken and well deserved, but this reminds me of something. I’m a sci fi addict in many respects, having seen all the movies and read a lot of the books. However, I’ve been called a pessimist for thinking none of those stories will ever be possible within the known laws of physics. History has shown that no one has been able to accurately predict the future. That the actual future is in fact more amazing in how it unfolds. I mean yes, Jules Verne foresaw a moon landing, but with a giant cannon. The reality of it was much more amazing and beyond his ability to predict.
Heck, it's hard getting to the nearest planet. There was an interesting thread last week, where scientists are discussing sending bacteria carrying our DNA to other planets. Since it's hard to send people, the plan would be to send robotics that would 3d-print humans after extracting our DNA encoded in the bacteria. We can't go, but we can propagate the species elsewhere, perhaps in conjunction with terraforming a planet. This is far into the future, not in our lifetime (at least while we have Obama-types running things down here).
Liberal: A 3rd grade mind with a drivers license.
I’m a huge sci-fi nerd as well, though more in a cyberpunk/fantasy style. That said, I think Sci-fi drives a lot of actual science now considering a lot of rocket scientists today are so because of Trek/Star Wars.
And once quantum computing becomes a common tool in widespread use, I think it is possible a lot of new areas will open up that today aren’t even figments of our imaginations. Just look at 3D printing. To be sure, it’s wishful thinking. but I really believe that we are on an accelerated curve. And we will either become one of those long dead civs that blew themselves up, geneticly modified ourselves into oblivion, or possibly, reach a star or two within a couple centuries if not sooner.
So very true.
This helps me put Barry Soetoro and his little pinheads in a much better perspective.
I wonder how long it takes to build up to instant speed. /ponder
Gravity communication would allow messages between galaxies millions of light years apart.
Gravity is the answer.
Simple propagation of the species isn’t my only concern for the future, but since we’re the only sentient species we’re currently aware of, it might be nice to preserve it.
I tend to see the curve as decelerating. There was in fact a huge explosion in technology beginning in the early 1800’s, but I don’t see any significant advances within the last 50 years except with computing. Maybe that will lead somewhere, maybe not. I don’t know.
That’s actually something I’ve thought about. What would be the perfect form of propulsion? Gravity waves. It is in fact a form of energy, just as capable of producing an opposed reaction. But how to create it? Unknown for the present time, of course. And the nice thing is that like neutrinos, it passes through solid matter leaving no harmful consequences.
Soon, we’ll the aliens doing the probing.
True the big visible stuff like moon launches have given wway to Muslim feel good crap, but there have been so many less high profile advances. Composites/metals advances, the tech that would be used in space journeys/survival, medicine...all those things that don’t scream “warp drive!”, but are none the less required.
The computing thing... We went to the moon with a combined fraction of the processing power contained in a modern iphone. If we ever regain the will to exploit it, to regain our exceptionalism, we will amaze ourselves with what and how fast we accomplish it.
But that is of course, a big ‘if’.
It would not surprise me if there was life in every single one of those galaxies
True. It is humbling to realize that all that revolves around them
/s
We may never know.
Billions of years distant.Empires can rise and fall and turn back to stardust and we would never have known......................
I wonder how many FreeRepublics ????
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