NEW YORK, Dec 16 (FD): A never-before-seen cluster of galaxies which has been captured by one of the Earth s most powerful telescopes – one of the first images released since it was boosted with new technology.
Space scientists have released an image after capturing a glimpse into never-before-seen galaxies 280 million lightyears away.
The stunning shot is one of the first released since one of Earth s most powerful telescopes was upgraded.
The William Herschel Telescope, currently based in the Canary Islands, has been supercharged so it can reveal how galaxies came into formation.
A super-fast mapping device means the telescope can survey up to 1,000 stars per hour, tracking the speed at which they re travelling.
The technology, dubbed WHT Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer (WEAVE), is even able to collect data on the atoms the stars are built of, and has been likened to peering into the universe with 3D glasses .
Astrophysicists at the University of Cambridge revealed one of the first images captured on the upgraded technology on Tuesday, showing an “unprecedented glimpse” into a cluster of five galaxies named Stephan s Quintet in the Pegasus constellation.
The shot shows some of the first light emitted by the galaxies, which are huge collections of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems, during a major collision.
Cambridge astronomer Dr David Murphy hailed the latest glimpse, saying the new technology would help us peer into “the very fabric of our universe”.
“Without even breaking a sweat, WEAVE has provided us with an unprecedented glimpse into the dance of this enigmatic group of galaxies,” said Dr Murphy.
“This exciting initial release provides a snapshot of the various ways the instrument can provide insights into the universe.
“Coupled with our rapid-response data-processing pipelines, WEAVE will advance cutting-edge research ranging from the complex chemical fingerprint of our galactic neighbourhood to the very structure and fabric of our universe.”
Scientists are now hoping to capture more than 12 million shots of stars and galaxies over the next five years.
“It s a fantastic achievement from a lot of people to make this happen and it s great to have it working,” he told the BBC.
“The next step is the new adventure, it s brilliant!”
