Space
Subaru Telescope Captures Stunning Image of Andromeda Galaxy with New Instrument
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Aug 01, 2013 10:21 AM EDT
The Subaru Telescope has captured a stunning new image of the Andromeda Galaxy using its new instrument. The image reveals the capabilities of the telescope's Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC), which could provide more information in the future about nearby galaxies and stars.
The Andromeda Galaxy, also known as M31, is the spiral galaxy nearest to our own Milky Way. It's a mere 2.5 million light years from Earth and is one of the brightest objects in the sky. In fact, star gazers have been examining this galaxy since 964 AD, when the Persian astronomer al-Sufi first wrote about it. About 800 years later, the galaxy was officially catalogued as M31 and to this day, it captures the imaginations of the public.
The Andromeda Galaxy is of particular interest to astronomers since it's very similar to our own galaxy. It can provide valuable information about how the Milky Way formed and shows how star formation varies in relation to distance from the center of the galaxy.
While the image itself is spectacular, it had wider implications for the Subaru Telescope's new instrument. Researchers aim to use its sharp imaging to produce a large-scale survey of the universe. The combination of a large mirror, a wide field of view and its sharp imaging represents a giant step into a new era of observational astronomy. In fact, the instrument could help answer questions about the nature of dark energy and matter.
For now, though, the image provides tangible evidence of HSC's features. More specifically, the consistent high quality of the objects throughout the frame can allow scientists to better study this galaxy. HSC's field of view is seven times larger than that of its predecessor, which means that there's no degradation of the image at the edges.
Astronomers plan to continue testing and using this new instrument in the future. It could herald a new era of astronomical findings as scientists continue to scour distant galaxies to learn more about our universe.
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First Posted: Aug 01, 2013 10:21 AM EDT
The Subaru Telescope has captured a stunning new image of the Andromeda Galaxy using its new instrument. The image reveals the capabilities of the telescope's Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC), which could provide more information in the future about nearby galaxies and stars.
The Andromeda Galaxy, also known as M31, is the spiral galaxy nearest to our own Milky Way. It's a mere 2.5 million light years from Earth and is one of the brightest objects in the sky. In fact, star gazers have been examining this galaxy since 964 AD, when the Persian astronomer al-Sufi first wrote about it. About 800 years later, the galaxy was officially catalogued as M31 and to this day, it captures the imaginations of the public.
The Andromeda Galaxy is of particular interest to astronomers since it's very similar to our own galaxy. It can provide valuable information about how the Milky Way formed and shows how star formation varies in relation to distance from the center of the galaxy.
While the image itself is spectacular, it had wider implications for the Subaru Telescope's new instrument. Researchers aim to use its sharp imaging to produce a large-scale survey of the universe. The combination of a large mirror, a wide field of view and its sharp imaging represents a giant step into a new era of observational astronomy. In fact, the instrument could help answer questions about the nature of dark energy and matter.
For now, though, the image provides tangible evidence of HSC's features. More specifically, the consistent high quality of the objects throughout the frame can allow scientists to better study this galaxy. HSC's field of view is seven times larger than that of its predecessor, which means that there's no degradation of the image at the edges.
Astronomers plan to continue testing and using this new instrument in the future. It could herald a new era of astronomical findings as scientists continue to scour distant galaxies to learn more about our universe.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone