IOK-1

IOK-1
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation Coma Berenices
Right ascension 13h 23m 59.8s
Declination +27° 24′ 56″
Redshift 6.96
Distance 12.88 gigalight-years (3.95 Gpc)
See also: Galaxy, List of galaxies

IOK-1 is a distant galaxy in Coma Berenices. When discovered in 2006, it was the oldest and most distant galaxy ever found, at redshift 6.96.[1]

It was discovered in April 2006 by Masanori Iye at National Astronomical Observatory of Japan using the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii and seen as it was 12.88 billion years ago. Its emission of Lyman alpha radiation has a redshift of 6.96, corresponding to just 750 million years after the Big Bang. While some scientists have claimed other objects (such as Abell 1835 IR1916) to be even older, the IOK-1's age and composition have been more reliably established.[2][3]

"IOK" stands for the observers' names Iye, Ota, and Kashikawa.

See also

References

  1. ^ Hogan, Jenny (2006), "Journey to the birth of the Universe", Nature 443 (7108): 128–129, Bibcode 2006Natur.443..128H, doi:10.1038/443128a, PMID 16971914 
  2. ^ Iye, Masanori; Ota, Kazuaki; Kashikawa, Nobunari; Furusawa, Hisanori; Hashimoto, Tetsuya; Hattori, Takashi; Matsuda, Yuichi; Morokuma, Tomoki et al. (2006), "A galaxy at a redshift z = 6.96", Nature 443 (7108): 186–188, arXiv:astro-ph/0609393v1, Bibcode 2006Natur.443..186I, doi:10.1038/nature05104, PMID 16971942 
  3. ^ Press release, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, September 13, 2006, http://www.subarutelescope.org/Pressrelease/2006/09/13/index.html 
Preceded by
SDF J132522.3+273520		 Most distant astronomical object
2006 — 2009		 Succeeded by
GRB 090423
Preceded by
SDF J132522.3+273520		 Most distant galaxy
2006 — 2010		 Succeeded by
UDFy-38135539