Astrophysicist Discovers 13.2 Billion Yr. Old Galaxy
By Noah Bergren on September 22, 2012, 12:30pm
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Just how old is our universe? Or the galaxy's in the universe? 5 Billion years? 8 Billion? Well, guess again, because this latest discovery in the astronomical world might surprise you.
This past week, scientists has observed and recorded what could be the farthest away, and oldest galaxy ever recorded; at an estimated 13.2 Billion years old- with the combined recourses of NASA's Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes.
Astrophysicists at the John Hopkins University said the galaxy was the furthest away thing they've ever seen in such high levels of confidence.
In fact, the astrophyscicsts also said that given its approximate age of 13.2 Billion years old, telescopes here on Earth are only really seeing this galaxy when it was very young, because the light emitted from it is just reaching the Earth now!! (Keep in mind the speed of light is 3.00 x 10^8 m/s, or roughly 186,000 miles per second) Just goes to show you how far away the things are technology can see today!
In the big image at left, the many galaxies of a massive cluster called MACS J1149+2223 dominate the scene. (NASA / Space Telescope Science Institute)
Keep in mind the estimated age of the universe is around 13 3/4 Billion years old, which could mean that this potential galaxy was formed at the same time the universe was, after the Big Bang.
Just goes to show you where the future of our astronomy is heading towards in the future!
Article information from The Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/19/oldest-galaxy-discovered-_n_1897912.html#slide=874211
Cover Photo From:
http://wallpapers-place.com/space/traveloar-universe-hd-wallpaper/
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