Simulated Roman Image with Inset (IMAGE)
Caption
This graphic highlights part of a new simulation of what NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope could see when it launches by May 2027. The background spans about 0.11 square degrees (roughly equivalent to half of the area of sky covered by a full Moon), representing less than half the area Roman will see in a single snapshot. The inset zooms in to a region 300 times smaller, showcasing a swath of brilliant synthetic galaxies at Roman’s full resolution. Having such a realistic simulation helps scientists study the physics behind cosmic images –– both synthetic ones like these and future real ones. Researchers will use the observations for many types of science, including testing our understanding of the origin, evolution, and ultimate fate of the universe.
Visual description: An image with a black background covered with thousands of tiny spots. Most appear as specks of white or yellow dust, though some are a little larger and take on blobby shapes. The image is labeled "0.11 square degrees, Simulated Roman Image." At the center left, a small white box outlines a tiny part of the background. It pulls out to a larger inset image which zooms into that region. In the inset, what appeared as tiny dots are now visible as fuzzy galaxies like disks scattered at all different angles. There's a big swoop of a large concentration of them from the upper left to the lower right of the inset, and one bright yellow foreground star shines brightly at the upper center.
Credit
C. Hirata and K. Cao (OSU) and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Usage Restrictions
No restrictions.
License
Public Domain