Well, wouldn't you know it. Not a week after I saw the marvelous IMAX film about the Hubble at the Sci-Port, NASA releases news of the latest additions to the celebrated instrument, that of the Wide Field Camera 3. And what to its wondering infrared eye should appear? But the oldest known light in the Universe. The object, a compact galaxy of blue stars whose light took 13.2 billion years to reach us, is one of the early manifestations following what is called the "Big Bang."
The object may or may not "be there" now. It is, after all, only photons emitted from that instant 13.2 billion years ago, that we, rather the Hubble, is able to "see." It's always a curious to ponder the night sky. What we see is light emitted from a long ago past, as we recognize it. In a sense, it's all illusion - as much as a projected movie. Still, it's quite a show. And well worth the admission.
The object may or may not "be there" now. It is, after all, only photons emitted from that instant 13.2 billion years ago, that we, rather the Hubble, is able to "see." It's always a curious to ponder the night sky. What we see is light emitted from a long ago past, as we recognize it. In a sense, it's all illusion - as much as a projected movie. Still, it's quite a show. And well worth the admission.
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