Giant space blob glows from within
This image shows one of the largest known single objects in the Universe, the Lyman-alpha blob LAB-1. This picture is a composite of two different images taken with the FORS instrument on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) — a wider image showing the surrounding galaxies and a much deeper observation of the blob itself at the centre made to detect its polarisation. The intense Lyman-alpha ultraviolet radiation from the blob appears green after it has been stretched by the expansion of the Universe during its long journey to Earth. These new observations show for the first time that the light from this object is polarised. This means that the giant "blob" must be powered by galaxies embedded within the cloud.
Oikeudet:ESO/M. Hayes
Kuvasta
Tunnistus: | eso1130a |
Tyyppi: | Havainto |
Julkaisupäivä: | 17. elokuuta 2011 19:00 |
Vastaavat julkaisut: | eso1632, eso1130 |
Koko: | 2042 x 2042 px |
Kohteesta
Nimi: | LAB-1 |
Tyyppi: | Early Universe : Cosmology : Morphology : Large-Scale Structure |
Etäisyys: | z=3.1 (punasiirtymä) |
Constellation: | Aquarius |
Kategoria: | Cosmology |
Taustakuvat
Koordinaatit
Position (RA): | 22 17 25.78 |
Position (Dec): | 0° 12' 39.20" |
Field of view: | 1.60 x 1.60 arcminutes |
Suuntaus: | Pohjoinen on 9.9° oikea pystysuuntaan nähden |
Värit ja suotimet
Kaista | Aallonpituus | Teleskooppi |
---|---|---|
Optinen B | Very Large Telescope FORS2 | |
Optinen OIII | 500 nm | Very Large Telescope FORS2 |
Optinen Pseudogreen (B+R) | Very Large Telescope FORS2 | |
Optinen V | Very Large Telescope FORS2 |