| HCM-6A | |
|---|---|
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Right ascension | 02h 39m 54.7s |
| Declination | -01° 33′ 32″ |
| Redshift | 6.56 |
| Distance | 12.8 billion light years |
| See also: Galaxy, List of galaxies | |
HCM-6A is a galaxy that was found in 2002 by a team led by Esther Hu from the University of Hawaii, using the Keck II Telescope in Hawaii. HCM-6A is located behind the Abell 370 galactic cluster, near M77 [1] in the constellation Cetus, which enabled the astronomers to use Abell 370 as a gravitational lens to get a clearer image of the object.[2][3]
HCM-6A was the farthest object known at the time of its discovery. It exceeded SSA22−HCM1 (z=5.74) as the most distant normal galaxy known, and quasar SDSSp J103027.10+052455.0 (z=6.28) as the most distant object known. In 2003, SDF J132418.3+271455 (z=6.578) was discovered, and took over the title of most remote object known, most remote galaxy known, and most remote normal galaxy known.