Interact with the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey

In 1997, a team of astronomers from the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO) began a project to delve into the sky deeper than most surveys had before and to cover 64,000 times more area than the Hubble Deep Field. The NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey has since sampled two 9-degree-square regions of the sky – one near the North Galactic Pole in the constellation Boötes and the other in Cetus near the South Galactic Pole.

The survey has used a collection of large-aperture telescopes to observe and map these regions in optical and near-infrared wavelengths. This investigation of both the local and remote universe is providing insight into large-scale structures and creating a multicolor database of interesting targets for future study.

In January 2001, the survey team released the first results from its efforts. The highlight was a composite image holding about 300,000 stars and galaxies. Imaged by the 4-meter Mayall telescope in Arizona, the view covers 1.15 square degrees in the Boötes field and represents just 7 percent of the survey’s total area.

In this activity, you can explore this section of the survey. Zoom into sections of the field to get a closer look at what it contains. Click on the link below to investigate the NOAO field now.