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About the Image
- Date
- 2005-11-02
- ID
- ssc2005-22a
- Type
- Observation
- Credit
- NASA/JPL-Caltech/A. Kashlinsky (Goddard Space Flight Center)
About the Object
- Name
- Infrared background
- Type
- Cosmology > Morphology > Cosmic Background
Color Mapping
Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
Infrared | 3.6 µm | Spitzer IRAC |
- Notes
- Both panels show same wavelength with different smoothing levels
Fiery First Stars
The top panel is an image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope of stars and galaxies in the constellation Draco, covering about 50 by 100 million light-years (6 to 12 arcminutes). This is an infrared image showing wavelengths of 3.6 microns, below what the human eye can detect. The bottom panel is the resulting image after all the stars, galaxies and artifacts were masked out. The remaining background has been enhanced to reveal a glow that is not attributed to galaxies or stars. This might be the glow of the first stars in the universe.
Related Media
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News Release Scientists See Light that May Be from First Objects in Universe ssc2005-22 |
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Image Fiery First Stars ssc2005-22a |
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Image Out of the Darkness Comes Stars ssc2005-22b |
Image Components
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Image Fiery First Stars ssc2005-22a1 |
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Image Fiery First Stars ssc2005-22a2 |