Science Wire from the Exploratorium and Public Radio International

Mona Lisa A Deeper Look Into Space

The mission of the Japanese Subaru Telescope in Hawaii is essentially to explore strange new worlds to boldly see what no man has seen before. And it seems that the telescope, based on the Big Island of Hawaii, is accomplishing its mission. Its latest deep field image takes us almost to the edge of the observable universe. It shows large elliptical galaxies, fainter ones of intense blue, and puzzling red objects thought to be young star systems engorged with dust.

| REPORTS |
Hear Rebecca Roberts' report
(5/21/2001)

Visit the Subaru Telescope

Build your own telescope -- Exploratorium style

Some of Subaru's discoveries come from what's called "deep field" observations -- taking pictures deep into space, way back in time. You can browse photos and read explanations of the telescope's deep field studies .

When telescopes look into deep space, they look back toward the Big Bang, and the beginning of time. Learn what astronomers are finding out about the origins of the universe at Hubble: A View to the Edge of Space .