This is the oldest object we’ve found yet in space. It’s a galaxy whose light travelled more than 13 billion light-years before it was visible to Hubble. And it’s only 600 million years older than the universe itself.
What you’re looking at above is an artist’s rendering of UDFy-38135539, the most ancient space object we’ve been able to locate to date. It’s so far away that even to Hubble’s powerful lens it appears as not much more than a speck:
It’s about 160 million years older than the previous oldest galaxy, which was found back in 2006. The most exciting part? Astronomers speculate that the oldest galaxies formed as early as 200 million years before the big bang, meaning we’ve got a whole lot of discovering still ahead of us. [Discovery via Geekologie]
Al
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 10:47 AMOlder than the universe, you say? Hmm.
N@
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 11:07 AMDoes that mean that that galaxy survived the big bang? Wow! That answers the question of what was around before hand! Quick! Call the cosmologists! And you saw it first here at the Giz!
Kalem
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 3:22 PMYou have to remember that the big bang is a theory and there are many variations to how the universe was formed and created. It is all speculation until proof is found.
Craig
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 11:04 AMProof reading? the very first line of the discovery article says:
“The earliest known astronomical object is a galaxy appearing about 600 million years after the universe formed. ”
and
“Theoretical models and computer simulations suggest that the first galaxies could have formed as early as 200 million years after the Big Bang event. “
oleary
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 4:11 PMThe Big Bang and the universe actually forming aren’t necessarily the exact same event.
simulacrum
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 5:02 PM… I think the point he’s making is that Giz has misquoted the original article. Which is quite apparent when you read the two together.
Nvestig8r
Friday, January 28, 2011 at 6:41 AMAlso, if you haven’t already, see Terry’s comment, below, on the big bang vs. the beginning of the universe.
JohnyWalker
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 4:18 PMDon’t see what’s wrong with those 2 statements.
Theoretical models/simulations SUGGESTS that there could be galaxies as old as 200MYABB (Million years after Big Bang).
The oldest one that we HAVE found is 600MYABB.
Hence, if our theoretical models/simulations are to be trusted, there should be even older galaxies to be found.
Nvestig8r
Friday, January 28, 2011 at 6:36 AMRight, JW. THOSE comments are fine, but, as several others have commented on this thread, it’s the aritcle itself that has a problem. Fortunately, I see some others have cleared this up, already. I was beginning to think that my understanding of the definitions of the universe and the big bang had, somewhere along the line, been re-written.
oleary
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 4:10 PMThe Oldest Spice Object ever found:
http://www.sportsinfo101.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/isaiah-mustafa-2.jpg
Nvestig8r
Friday, January 28, 2011 at 7:05 AMLOL! I had to check this out to see if “Spice” was a typo or a pun. Very funny! But I didn’t see the Old Spice! :D
Terry
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 4:23 PM” as early as 200 million years before the big bang ”
Err.. That should read AFTER the big bang.
Also..
The “Big Bang” is the current latest concept of how the universe BEGAN.
So yes, by definition, the Big Bang and the beginning of the Universe ARE one and the same thing.
Steve
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 6:10 PM13 billion years to reach us. Shame. Chances are, it’s not even there as we speak anymore, and we won’t even know for another few billion years.
Funny how that works.
Daniel
Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 9:25 PMYou know what’s even freakier… some aliens could see us on our computers right now in a further 13 billion years…. (figure of speech)
The light we’ve just given off this second has started a crazy journey that could end up in some future “being’s” view…
It’s a long shot – but hey, a snapshot of our daily lives sends itself on an infinite journey.
Mindf*ck
Nvestig8r
Friday, January 28, 2011 at 6:45 AM:) Interesting thought, Steve. I can’t wait to find out! Oops! Wait! If the rapture happens next year, I won’t be around to find out ….. or will I? Hmmmmmmmm.
Nvestig8r
Friday, January 28, 2011 at 7:02 AMHmmmmmm…
“… it’s only 600 million years older than the universe itself.”
…and yet…
“Astronomers speculate that the oldest galaxies formed as early as 200 million years before the big bang, meaning we’ve got a whole lot of discovering still ahead of us.”
So, according to this article, astonomers speculate that the ~oldest~ galaxies formed 400 years ~after~ this galaxy. :\ Hmmmmmm. Either “astronomers” or this article show an apparent lack of logic. :D