How deep can Hubble Telescope see?

In summary: Webb telescope will be able to see much farther than the Hubble telescope and potentially observe even older galaxies due to its ability to view in the red end of the spectrum. In summary, the Hubble telescope can only see galaxies up to about 13 billion years old, but the James Webb telescope may be able to see even older galaxies at a much farther distance.
  • #1
Herbascious J
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6
How deep can Hubble Telescope see??

-I understand that the Hubble telescope can only resolve galaxies at about 13 billion years old, using gravitational lensing. I am curious, is this because the telescope does not have the power to see farther? Or is this because there are no farther galaxies to see because this is too close to the Big Bang? Or, is it perhaps because the redishifts become so great that galaxies disapear at this point? I ask because I am curious to know if the James Webb telescope will actually provide new insight and perhaps even observations of older galaxies. Thanks!

P.S. - About my last point. At what age does the redshift become so shifted that galaxies no longer are observable (even if this boundary is older than the universe in theory, I am curious to know what it would be)
 
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  • #2
I'll have to go look for the piece, but recently I read was that the oldest galaxy we have seen is 30 billion light years away. It is 13.1 billion years old, about 700 million years after the creation of the universe. It was seen by Hubble.

Link http://www.kbtx.com/home/editorspick/Texas-AM-Researchers-Discover-New-Galaxy-30-Billion-Light-Years-Away-229007511.html
 
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  • #3
Hi, and thanks for the quick reply and link...! Do you know if the Hubble ST could resolve older galaxies IF the universe were old enough to support them? If the Universe was 16 billion years old, could Hubble resolve 15 billion year old galaxies? I guess I'm trying to asses how powerful HST really is. Thanks!
 
  • #4
It is generally believed it took about 500 million years for the first galaxies to form. As noted, we have observed a galaxy that formed when the universe was only 700 million years old. In fact, it is not yet even a full fledged galaxy, but, a proto galaxy. It is visible because it is undergoing a period of star burst activity. The trouble with Hubble is it does not see so well in the far end of the red spectrum and all of these ancient galaxies at the perimeter of the observable universe are heavily redshifted. The James Webb telescope is specially designed for viewing in the red end of the spectrum, and is larger than the Hubble. It is theoretically capable of seeing objects out to about z=16.
 
  • #5
Ah, I see. Thanks for the great explanation... This is very exciting, it seems the Webb telescope should render some really amazing stuff! Thanks again.
-J
 

1. How deep can Hubble Telescope see?

The Hubble Telescope can see objects as far as 13.4 billion light years away, which is equivalent to about 127,000,000,000,000,000,000 miles.

2. What is the resolution of the Hubble Telescope?

The Hubble Telescope has a resolution of 0.1 arcseconds, which means it can distinguish objects that are only 0.1 arcseconds apart.

3. How has the Hubble Telescope's vision improved over time?

The Hubble Telescope's vision has improved significantly over time due to several servicing missions that have upgraded its instruments and technology. In 1993, the initial resolution was 0.1 arcseconds, and as of 2009, it was increased to 0.05 arcseconds.

4. Can the Hubble Telescope see other galaxies?

Yes, the Hubble Telescope can see other galaxies, including those outside of our own Milky Way galaxy. It has captured stunning images of galaxies as far as 13.4 billion light years away.

5. How does the Hubble Telescope capture such clear images from so far away?

The Hubble Telescope's clear images are a result of its position above the Earth's atmosphere, which can distort and blur images. By orbiting above the atmosphere, the Hubble Telescope can capture images without this interference, resulting in clearer and more detailed images.

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