The GOODS-South field

This composite image of the GOODS-South field — the result of an extremely deep survey using two of the four giant 8.2-metre telescopes composing ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) and a unique custom-built filter — shows some of the faintest galaxies ever seen. It also allows astronomers to determine that 90% of galaxies whose light took 10 billion years to reach us have gone undiscovered.

The image is based on data acquired with the FORS and HAWK-I instruments on the VLT. It shows in particular two varieties of light emitted by excited hydrogen atoms, known as Lyman-alpha and H-alpha.

Credit:

ESO/M. Hayes

About the Image

Id:eso1013a
Type:Observation
Release date:24 March 2010, 19:00
Related releases:eso1013
Size:1787 x 1787 px

About the Object

Name:GOODS South field
Type:Early Universe : Galaxy : Grouping : Cluster
Distance:z=2.2 (redshift)
Constellation:Fornax
Category:Galaxy Clusters

Image Formats

Large JPEG
802.5 KB
Screensize JPEG
237.8 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
233.2 KB
1280x1024
359.8 KB
1600x1200
506.0 KB
1920x1200
539.3 KB
2048x1536
724.0 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):3 32 32.74
Position (Dec):-27° 47' 20.40"
Field of view:7.47 x 7.47 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 44.4° left of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
Ly-alpha
390 nmVery Large Telescope
FORS1
Optical
H-alpha
2.1 μmVery Large Telescope
HAWK-I