An image of the "Hubble Deep Field" region of the Universe using the Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array, or SCUBA, telescope. SPECS hopes to have resolution much greater than SCUBA to produce images with less noise. Compare this image to the much clearer figure below, from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). SPECS hopes to match HST in angular resolution to produce equally clear images in the submillimeter wavelength range, as opposed to HST's optical range.
Credit: David H. Hughs, et al., from the paper "Unveiling Dust-enshrouded Star Formation in the Early Universe: a Sub-mm Survey of the Hubble Deep Field" to appear in an upcoming issue of Nature.
An image of the same "Hubble Deep Field" region of the Universe as above using the Hubble Space Telescope. With HST's superiour resolution, we see classical spiral and elliptical shaped galaxies, as well as a bewildering variety of other galaxy shapes and colors that are important clues to understanding the evolution of the universe. SPECS hopes to match HST in angular resolution to produce equally clear images in the submillimeter wavelength range, as opposed to HST's optical range.
Credit: Robert Williams and the Hubble Deep Field Team (STScI) and NASA. PHOTO NO.: STSCI-PRC96-01a
