Hubble image archive
Dual Quasar Compass Image
This compass image shows a Hubble Space Telescope photograph of a pair of quasars that existed when the universe was just 3 billion years old. They are embedded inside a pair of colliding galaxies. The quasars are separated by less than the size of a single galaxy. Quasars are po...
- Date
- Jan 1, 2023
- Mission
- Hubble Space Telescope
- Archive ID
- hubblesite-images-2023-002-01gwjen1x8ehqs1f7jy6z9717r
This compass image shows a Hubble Space Telescope photograph of a pair of quasars that existed when the universe was just 3 billion years old. They are embedded inside a pair of colliding galaxies. The quasars are separated by less than the size of a single galaxy. Quasars are powered by voracious, supermassive black holes blasting out ferocious fountains of energy as they engorge themselves on gas, dust, and anything else within their gravitational grasp. The black holes will eventually merge.
Credits
Science
NASA, ESA, Yu-Ching Chen (UIUC), Hsiang-Chih Hwang (IAS), Nadia Zakamska (JHU), Yue Shen (UIUC)
Image Details
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | J0749+2255 |
| Object Description | Binary quasars |
| R.A. Position | 07:49:22.966 |
| Dec. Position | +22:55:11.77 |
| Constellation | Gemini |
| Distance | 10.661 billion light-years (z=2.17) |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description | The HST observations include those from program 15900 (Hsiang-Chih Hwang) |
| Instrument | WFC3/UVIS |
| Exposure Dates | July 06, 2020 |
| Filters | F475W, F814W |
| About The Image | |
| Color Info | These images are a composite of separate exposures acquired by the WFC3 instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope. Two filters were used to sample wide wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are: Cyan: F475W, Orange: F814W |
More Images From This Period
Downloads
Source
Image and source material are credited to the official mission archive linked below.
View on NASA.gov