Expert: Steven LJ Russo - 1/1/2008

Question
QUESTION: Is the picture 'Hubble Ultra Deep Field' a view of the universe as it would seem to the naked eye if I was not within the milky way?

ANSWER: The HUDF galaxies are not part of our Milky way.  The closest of the HUDF galaxies lie 1 billion Light Years away, while the farthest ones lie 13 billion LY away.

This "spot" in the sky would appear the size of a normal star without the use of Hubble.

So MAYBE, in one respect, the Universe would look something thke that, if ALL of the other Galaxies outside of the Milky Way could be seen.

Steve


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Just to clarify if I could please. The picture taken by Hubble is an enhanced photograph of the visual light spectrum that could not be seen by the naked eye if the observer was standing at the point on which the camera has focused? If i was at a point in the universe which was not close to any galaxy all I would see would be stars?


As a follow up -

If I was standing just outside of the milky way for it to be in my field of vision would I see the galaxy clearly and the other galaxies as stars?

Answer
The HST photos are of course enhanced, and long 'exposures" to gather all of the dim light from that far a distance.  If we were standing in the area of those galaxies, they would proabably look similiar to the war the Andromeda Galaxy looks at night from here on the Earth.  SO the farther away you would be, since the eye cannot enhance the light, I THINK, that all you could see would be stars.

Steve