How do we measure the distances?

• With Hubble’s law, all we need are spectra of galaxies! If we can

measure their redshift, we know their distance! Pretty cool, right?
RIGHT??
Lyman-α Balmer-α

Rest-frame
spectrum of a
star-forming
galaxy
What if the
galaxy was
receding from
us?
 We call this shifting the redshift, or “z”.

How doObserved
we measure the distances?
wavelength = Rest wavelength * (1+z)

The motion of this galaxy Doppler-shifted Lyman-alpha

• With Hubble’s law, all we need are spectra of galaxies! If we can
from 1216 Å to 2432 Å. What is the redshift?
measure their redshift, we know their distance! Pretty cool, right?
RIGHT??
Lyman-α Balmer-α

Rest-frame
spectrum of a
star-forming
galaxy
What if the
galaxy was
receding from
us?
What does redshift mean?
• It is often helpful to think in terms of
z tlookback
“lookback time”.
0.5 5.2 Gyr
• This is the time between now (z=0)
and a given redshift. 1 8.0
2 10.5
• The relation between redshift and
lookback time depend on the assumed 3 11.7
cosmology, including the expansion 4 12.3
rate, and the amount of matter in the
universe, as well as other components. 5 12.6
6 12.9
• These numbers assume an
expansion rate of H0=67.3 km/s/ 7 13.1
Mpc.
10 13.3
 Measuring distances in the distant universe
So, how do we get the
• I want to find galaxies in the distances to all these galaxies?
distant universe, so that I can
study how they evolve.

• I’ve already showed you in

the Hubble Ultra Deep
Field that we can see
distant galaxies, but how
do we know their
distances?

• Easy, just measure their

redshift!

• However, spectra are

expensive!
 Photometric Redshifts

• Even without spectroscopy, some of the features in

galaxy spectra may be so strong, we can distinguish
them in imaging. Any ideas?

This is the Lyman

break, caused
by the absorption
of hydrogen-
ionizing photons
 Photometric Redshifts
This break occurs at ~1000 A in the rest-frame. If
• youwithout
Even can find it in imaging, some
spectroscopy, you can usefeatures
of the the observed
in
wavelength
galaxy spectra may to tell
be you the approximate
so strong, redshift!
we can distinguish
them in imaging. Any ideas?

This is the Lyman

break, caused
by the absorption
of hydrogen-
ionizing photons
We can see this galaxy in the green λrest=1000 Å
and red filters, but not in the blue. λobserved=4000 Å
So, the break must be between the λobserved=λrest(1+z)
blue and green filters! (1+z)=λobserved/λrest
➜ z=3
How do we find distant galaxies?