Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have taken striking new photos of barred spiral galaxy NGC 2566.
The barred spiral galaxy NGC 2566 has a prominent star bar at its center, with spiral arms emerging from each end of the bar. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / D. Tilker.
NGC2566 It is located in the constellation Leo, about 76 million light years away from Earth.
The galaxy was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on March 6, 1785.
Also known as ESO 495-3, LEDA 23303, or UGCA 138, this galaxy is a member of the PGC 80593 group of at least 16 large galaxies.
“NGC 2566 appears tilted from our perspective, so its disk is almond-shaped, giving the galaxy the appearance of a cosmic eye,” Hubble astronomers said in a statement.
“As NGC 2566 stares back at us, we’ll be looking directly behind it, using Hubble to study the galaxy’s star clusters and star-forming regions.”
“Hubble data is especially valuable for studying stars that are only a few million years old.”
“These stars are bright in the ultraviolet and visible wavelengths to which Hubble is sensitive.”
Using these data, astronomers will measure the ages of NGC 2566’s stars, helping them piece together the timeline of star formation in the galaxy and gas exchange between the star-forming clouds and the stars themselves.
“Several other observatories have investigated NGC 2566, including NASA/ESA/CSA’s James Webb Space Telescope,” the researchers said.
“Webb’s data complement this Hubble image, adding a view of NGC 2566’s warm, glowing dust to Hubble’s stellar portrait.”
“NGC 2566, at the long wavelength end of the electromagnetic spectrum, has also been observed by the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA).”
“ALMA is a network of 66 radio telescopes working together to capture detailed images of the gas clouds where stars form.”
Source: www.sci.news
