# Hubble finds Earendel the Mariner! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 3, 2022, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hubble-finds-earendel-the-mariner/962171 "2022-04-03T01:51:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2022, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hubble-finds-earendel-the-mariner/962171/1 "2022-04-03T01:51:16Z")
Well, not quite literally as per Prof Tolkein. Due to an unusual gravitational lensing, Hubble has detected what the astronomers think is the earliest star ever found, possibly formed only 900 million years after the Big Bang. It may even be a Population III star, although that seems doubtful. The light from it has taken 12.9 billion years to reach us. So what do a bunch of science geeks decide to name the earliest star ever found? Earendel. It’s the Old English word for the morning star, and was the inspiration for Tolkein’s name for Eärendil the Mariner. > **[Hubble Telescope Spots the Most Distant Star Ever Detected in Outer Space](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-spot-the-most-distant-individual-star-ever-detected-in-outer-space-180979847/)** > > The star, nicknamed Earendel, is 28 billion light-years from Earth And one of the astro-geeks shows off her elvish tatoos: > **[Meet Earendel: Hubble telescope's most distant star discovery gets a...](https://www.space.com/hubble-most-distant-star-tolkien-name-earendil)** > > Tolkien fans and space fans rejoice! Next up: James Webb may be taking a look at it. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2022, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hubble-finds-earendel-the-mariner/962171/2 "2022-04-03T01:54:44Z")
Very cool — thanks for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2022, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hubble-finds-earendel-the-mariner/962171/3 "2022-04-03T02:49:50Z")
Heated debate over on Wikipedia over the name for the article. Should it be - " WHL0137-LS" ? - Or “Earendel” ? Naming policies being bandied about, Wikipedians in congress assembled, many electrons being disturbed. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:WHL0137-LS#Requested\_move\_1\_April\_2022](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:WHL0137-LS#Requested_move_1_April_2022) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2022, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hubble-finds-earendel-the-mariner/962171/4 "2022-04-03T03:58:56Z")
Hubble in its last gasp steals Webb’s fire! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2022, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hubble-finds-earendel-the-mariner/962171/5 "2022-04-03T04:36:30Z")
The sons of Fëanor swear to return it! ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2022, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hubble-finds-earendel-the-mariner/962171/6 "2022-04-03T15:34:49Z")
With both hands, Hubble gives. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2022, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hubble-finds-earendel-the-mariner/962171/7 "2022-04-03T15:57:13Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Heated debate over on Wikipedia over the name for the article. Should it be > > - " WHL0137-LS" ? > > - Or “Earendel” ? > > Naming policies being bandied about, Wikipedians in congress assembled, many electrons being disturbed. > > [Talk:WHL0137-LS - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:WHL0137-LS#Requested_move_1_April_2022) Cool pic of the Lidless Eye. Why doesn’t it show up when I follow the link? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2022, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hubble-finds-earendel-the-mariner/962171/8 "2022-04-03T16:24:14Z")
Wikipedia articles sometimes link in the preview to the photos used for portals on the topic. That picture is linked to the Astronomy project, so seems to get picked up with that article, even though not used in the article. That particular object is the > **[Helix Nebula](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helix_Nebula)** > > The Helix Nebula (also known as NGC 7293 or Caldwell 63) is a planetary nebula (PN) located in the constellation Aquarius. Discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding, most likely before 1824, this object is one of the closest of all the bright planetary nebulae to Earth. The distance, measured by the Gaia mission, is 655±13 light-years. It is similar in appearance to the Cat's Eye Nebula and the Ring Nebula, whose size, age, and physical characteristics are similar to the Dumbbell Nebula, varying o The H... > [@](#): > > The Helix Nebula has sometimes been referred to as the “Eye of God” in pop culture,[[7]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helix_Nebula#cite_note-7) as well as the “[Eye of Sauron](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_of_Sauron)”.[[8]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helix_Nebula#cite_note-8)[[9]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helix_Nebula#cite_note-9) The lead picture is infrared false colours, but if you go into that article, you’ll see the image lower on, with visible light filters, as taken by Hubble. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hubble-finds-earendel-the-mariner/962171/9 "2023-08-13T23:44:14Z")
James Webb has taken a look at Earendel: > **[Earendel revealed: James Webb Space Telescope lifts veil on the most distant...](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earendel-the-most-distant-known-star-reveals-its-secrets-to-jwst/)** > > Earendel is about twice as hot as the sun, and it probably has a stellar companion.