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Collection:
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NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Spitzer Digs Up Galactic Fossil
Title
Spitzer Digs Up Galactic Fossil
Title
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Description:
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This false-color image taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows a globular cluster previously hidden in the dusty plane of our Milky Way galaxy. Globular clusters are compact bundles of old stars that date back to the birth of our galaxy, 13 or so billion years ago. Astronomers use these galactic "fossils" as tools for studying the age and formation of the Milky Way.
Most clusters orbit around the center of the galaxy well above its dust-enshrouded disc, or plane, while making brief, repeated passes through the plane that each last about a million years. Spitzer, with infrared eyes that can see into the dusty galactic plane, first spotted the newfound cluster during its current pass. A visible-light image (inset) shows only a dark patch of sky.
The red streak behind the core of the cluster is a dust cloud, which may indicate the cluster's interaction with the Milky Way. Alternatively, this cloud may lie coincidentally along Spitzer's line of sight.
Follow-up observations with the University of Wyoming Infrared Observatory helped set the distance of the new cluster at about 9,000 light-years from Earth -- closer than most clusters -- and set the mass at the equivalent of 300,000 Suns. The cluster's apparent size, as viewed from Earth, is comparable to a grain of rice held at arm's length. It is located in the constellation Aquila.
Astronomers believe that this cluster may be one of the last in our galaxy to be uncovered.
This image composite was taken on April 21, 2004, by Spitzer's infrared array camera. It is composed of images obtained at four wavelengths: 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange) and 8 microns (red). The visible-light image is from the Digitized Sky Survey, California University of Technology, Pasadena, Calif.
Description
This false-color image taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows a globular cluster previously hidden in the dusty plane of our Milky Way galaxy. Globular clusters are compact bundles of old stars that date back to the birth of our galaxy, 13 or so billion years ago. Astronomers use these galactic "fossils" as tools for studying the age and formation of the Milky Way.
Most clusters orbit around the center of the galaxy well above its dust-enshrouded disc, or plane, while making brief, repeated passes through the plane that each last about a million years. Spitzer, with infrared eyes that can see into the dusty galactic plane, first spotted the newfound cluster during its current pass. A visible-light image (inset) shows only a dark patch of sky.
The red streak behind the core of the cluster is a dust cloud, which may indicate the cluster's interaction with the Milky Way. Alternatively, this cloud may lie coincidentally along Spitzer's line of sight.
Follow-up observations with the University of Wyoming Infrared Observatory helped set the distance of the new cluster at about 9,000 light-years from Earth -- closer than most clusters -- and set the mass at the equivalent of 300,000 Suns. The cluster's apparent size, as viewed from Earth, is comparable to a grain of rice held at arm's length. It is located in the constellation Aquila.
Astronomers believe that this cluster may be one of the last in our galaxy to be uncovered.
This image composite was taken on April 21, 2004, by Spitzer's infrared array camera. It is composed of images obtained at four wavelengths: 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange) and 8 microns (red). The visible-light image is from the Digitized Sky Survey, California University of Technology, Pasadena, Calif.
Description
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Release Date:
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2004/10/12
Release_Date
2004/10/12
Release Date
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Press Release:
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Press_Release
Press Release
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Release Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/H. Kobulnicky (Univ. of Wyoming)
Release_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/H. Kobulnicky (Univ. of Wyoming)
Release Credit
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Image Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/H. Kobulnicky (Univ. of Wyoming)
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/H. Kobulnicky (Univ. of Wyoming)
Image Credit
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Object name:
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GLIMPSE-C01
Object_name
GLIMPSE-C01
Object name
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Object type:
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Globular Cluster
Object_type
Globular Cluster
Object type
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Position (J2000):
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*RA: *18h48m49.70s *Dec: *-1d29m50.00s
Position_(J2000)
*RA: *18h48m49.70s *Dec: *-1d29m50.00s
Position (J2000)
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Distance:
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3.1-5.2 kpc or 10,000-17,000 light-years
Distance
3.1-5.2 kpc or 10,000-17,000 light-years
Distance
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Constellation:
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Aquila
Constellation
Aquila
Constellation
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Wavelength:
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3.6 (blue), 4.5 (green), 5.8 (orange), and 8.0 (red) microns
Wavelength
3.6 (blue), 4.5 (green), 5.8 (orange), and 8.0 (red) microns
Wavelength
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Image scale:
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6x6 arcmin
Image_scale
6x6 arcmin
Image scale
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Observers:
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Henry Kobulnicky (Principal Investigator) - University of Wyoming
B.L. Babler - University of Wisconsin-Madison
T.M. Bania - Boston University
R.A. Benjamin - University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
B.A. Buckalew - University of Wyoming
R. Canterna - University of Wyoming
E. Churchwell - University of Wisconsin-Madison
D. Clemens - Boston University
M. Cohen - University of California-Berkley
J.M. Darnel - University of Wyoming
J.M. Dickey - University of Minnesota
R. Indebetouw - University of Wisconsin-Madison
J.M. Jackson - Boston University
A. Kutyrev - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
A.P. Marston - ESTEC/SCI-SA
J.S. Mathis - University of Maryland
M.R. Meade - University of Wisconsin-Madison
E.P. Mercer - Boston University
A.J. Monson - University of Wyoming
J.P. Norris - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
M.J. Pierce - University of Wyoming
R. Shah - Boston University
J.R. Stauffer - Caltech, Spitzer Science Center
S.R. Stolovy - Caltech, Spitzer Science Center
B. Uzpen - University of Wyoming
C. Watson - University of Wisconsin-Madison
B.A. Whitney - Space Science Institute
M.J. Wolff - Space Science Institute
M.G. Wolfire - University of Maryland
Observers
Henry Kobulnicky (Principal Investigator) - University of Wyoming
B.L. Babler - University of Wisconsin-Madison
T.M. Bania - Boston University
R.A. Benjamin - University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
B.A. Buckalew - University of Wyoming
R. Canterna - University of Wyoming
E. Churchwell - University of Wisconsin-Madison
D. Clemens - Boston University
M. Cohen - University of California-Berkley
J.M. Darnel - University of Wyoming
J.M. Dickey - University of Minnesota
R. Indebetouw - University of Wisconsin-Madison
J.M. Jackson - Boston University
A. Kutyrev - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
A.P. Marston - ESTEC/SCI-SA
J.S. Mathis - University of Maryland
M.R. Meade - University of Wisconsin-Madison
E.P. Mercer - Boston University
A.J. Monson - University of Wyoming
J.P. Norris - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
M.J. Pierce - University of Wyoming
R. Shah - Boston University
J.R. Stauffer - Caltech, Spitzer Science Center
S.R. Stolovy - Caltech, Spitzer Science Center
B. Uzpen - University of Wyoming
C. Watson - University of Wisconsin-Madison
B.A. Whitney - Space Science Institute
M.J. Wolff - Space Science Institute
M.G. Wolfire - University of Maryland
Observers
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Instrument:
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IRAC
Instrument
IRAC
Instrument
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Exposure Date:
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2004 April 21
Exposure_Date
2004 April 21
Exposure Date
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Exposure Time:
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2.4 sec
Exposure_Time
2.4 sec
Exposure Time
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Orientation:
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North is 63 deg CCW from up
Orientation
North is 63 deg CCW from up
Orientation
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note:
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*Spitzer View* Screen-Resolution (450x450): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2004-16a1_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (900x900): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/H. Kobulnicky (Univ. of Wyoming)
note
*Spitzer View* Screen-Resolution (450x450): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2004-16a1_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (900x900): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/H. Kobulnicky (Univ. of Wyoming) note
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note:
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*DSS (Visible-Light) View* Screen-Resolution (450x450): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2004-16a2_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (900x900): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/DSS
note
*DSS (Visible-Light) View* Screen-Resolution (450x450): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2004-16a2_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (900x900): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/DSS note
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facet_what:
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Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Earth
facet_what
Earth
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Aquila
facet_what
Aquila
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Minnesota
facet_where
Minnesota
facet_where
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facet_where:
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California
facet_where
California
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Madison
facet_where
Madison
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Wisconsin
facet_where
Wisconsin
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Maryland
facet_where
Maryland
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Wyoming
facet_where
Wyoming
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Milky Way Galaxy
facet_where
Milky Way Galaxy
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Boston
facet_where
Boston
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jackson
facet_where
Jackson
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Washington, D.C.
facet_where
Washington, D.C.
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
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facet_when:
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April 21, 2004
facet_when
April 21, 2004
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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2004
facet_when_year
2004
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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ssc2004-16a
Image_#
ssc2004-16a
Image #
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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UID:
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SPD-SPITZ-ssc2004-16 a
UID
SPD-SPITZ-ssc2004-16 a
UID
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