26 Cosmic Photos from the Hubble Space Telescope's Ultra Deep Field

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By Space.com Staff
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Hubble Ultra Deep Field 2014
Astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope assembled this Hubble Ultra Deep Field 2014 photo. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, H. Teplitz and M. Rafelski (IPAC/Caltech), A. Koekemoer (STScI), R. Windhorst (Arizona State University), and Z. Levay (STScI))

Hubble Ultra Deep Field Reveals Galaxies Galore

NASA, ESA S. Beckwith (STScI) and the HUDF Team

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope holds the world record for peering farther into deep space than any other telescope of its time. It has imaged some of the most distant galaxies ever observed, allowing the telescope to look back in time to when the universe was in its infancy. This image, called the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, offers a core sample of the deep universe with diverse galaxies of various ages, sizes, shapes and colors.

A Sampling of Galaxies

NASA, ESA S. Beckwith (STScI) and the HUDF Team

Close-up images of galaxies in Hubble's Ultra Deep Field image divulge the dramas that happen constantly in the Universe.

Galaxy HUDF-JD2 in Visible and Infrared Light

NASA, ESA and R. Hurt (Spitzer Science Center)

This composite image of Galaxy HUDF-JD2 blends a visible-light photo from the Hubble Space Telescope with an infrared snapshot from the Spitzer Space Telescope.

Close-Up of Galaxies from the Hubble Ultra Deep Field Image

NASA, ESA S. Beckwith (STScI) and the HUDF Team

An image of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field released in 2004. The images taken in the Ultra Deep Field result from exposure time of over 11 days between Sep. 24, 2003 and Jan. 16, 2004.

Merging Galaxies — 2.4 Billion Light-Years from Earth

NASA, ESA and J. Lotz (STScI)

Over 2 billion light-years from earth, these two galaxies begin the process of merging into one.

'Tadpole Galaxies'

NASA, A. Straughn, S. Cohen, and R. Windhorst (Arizona State University), and the HUDF team (Space Telescope Science Institute)

The mosaic displays a sampling of 36 young galaxies merging with other galaxies. The cosmic tadpoles get their name from the unique knot and tail shape. Read the full story here.

Most Distant Galaxy Candidates in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field

NASA, ESA, R. Windhorst (Arizona State University) and H. Yan (Spitzer Science Center, Caltech)

The galaxies in this photo are candidates for the most distant galaxies seen in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. [Ancient Galaxy May Be Most Distant Ever Seen]

Most Distant Galaxy

NASA, ESA, G. Illingworth (University of California, Santa Cruz), R. Bouwens (University of California, Santa Cruz, and Leiden University), and

A close-up from the Hubble Ultra Deep Field image, Galaxy UDFj-39546284, a faint reddish blob, is believed to be the most distant galaxy at more than 13 billion light-years from Earth. Read the full story here.

Extended Groth Strip

NASA, ESA, M. Davis (University of California, Berkeley), and A. Koekemoer (STScI)

The area between Ursa Major and Boötes, known as the Extended Groth Strip, as imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Merging Galaxies — 6.2 Billion Light-Years from Earth

NASA, ESA, and J. Lotz (STScI)

These distant galaxies — over 6 billion light-years away — are merging together.

10,000 Galaxies

NASA, ESA, R. Ellis (Caltech), and the UDF 2012 Team

The region of space within the Fornax constellation, seen in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, contains an estimated 10,000 galaxies.

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Space.com Staff
Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.