Simulated Galaxy Redshift Cubes

This video dissolves between the entire collection of redshift cubes in 55 seconds. A shorter, faster version is available below.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)Watch this video on the NASA.gov Video YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.

Same as above but 25 seconds long.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

These six cubes show the simulated distribution of galaxies at redshifts 9, 7, 5, 3, 2, and 1, with the corresponding cosmic ages shown. As the universe expands, the density of galaxies within each cube decreases, from more than half a million at top left to about 80 at lower right. Each cube is about 100 million light-years across. Galaxies assembled along vast strands of gas separated by large voids, a foam-like structure echoed in the present-day universe on large cosmic scales.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)Watch this video on the NASA.gov Video YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.

This visualization shows the simulated galaxy distribution at redshift 9, when the universe was just 551 million years old. The cube is about 100 million light-years across and contains 528,000 galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

Same as above but for redshift 8, when the universe was 646 million years old. The cube contains 217,000 galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

Same as above but for redshift 7, when the universe was 771 million years old. The cube contains 110,000 galaxies. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

Redshift 6, when the universe was 942 million years old. The cube contains 49,000 galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

Redshift 5, when the universe was 1.2 billion years old. The cube contains 23,000 galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

Redshift 4, when the universe was 1.6 billion years old. The cube contains 9,000 galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

Redshift 3.5, when the universe was 1.8 billion years old. The cube contains 6,500 galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

Redshift 3, when the universe was 2.2 billion years old. The cube contains 4,000 galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

Redshift 2.5, when the universe was 2.6 billion years old. The cube contains 2,500 galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

Redshift 2, when the universe was 3.3 billion years old. The cube contains 1,000 galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

Redshift 1.5, whenn the universe was 4.3 billion years old. The cube contains 400 galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)

Redshift 1, when the universe was 5.9 billion years old. The cube contains 80 galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/F. Reddy and Z. Zhai, Y. Wang (IPAC) and A. Benson (Carnegie Observatories)