Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) has captured a striking new image of the grand design spiral galaxy NGC 5248.
This Hubble image shows the Grand Design spiral galaxy NGC 5248, located approximately 42 million light-years away in the constellation Bootes. The color images were created from separate exposures taken in the visible, ultraviolet, and near-infrared regions of the spectrum using Hubble's WFC3 instrument. Six filters were used to sample different wavelengths. Color is obtained by assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter. Image credits: NASA / ESA / Hubble / F. Belfiore / J. Lee / PHANGS-HST team.
NGC5248 It is located in the constellation Bootes, about 42 million light years away.
This spiral galaxy, also known as Caldwell 45, LEDA 48130, UGC 8616, IRAS 13353+0908, and TC 830, has a diameter of 95,000 light years.
beginning discovered It was discovered on April 15, 1784 by German-born British astronomer William Herschel and is a member of the NGC 5248 galaxy group.
NGC 5248 has an apparent magnitude of 10, so it doesn't appear very bright, but it can be spotted with a small telescope.
The galaxy is noteworthy Because of the nuclear ring, which has “hot spots” of starburst activity.
“NGC 5248 is one of the so-called 'grand design' spirals, with prominent spiral arms extending from near the center through the disk,” Hubble astronomers said in a statement.
“There is also a faint bar structure in the center between the inner edges of the spiral arms, which is less obvious in this visible-light portrait from Hubble.”
“Features like this that break a galaxy's rotational symmetry have profound effects on how matter moves through it and ultimately on its evolution over time.”
“They can supply gas from the outer reaches of the galaxy to the inner star-forming regions and even to the black hole at the center of the galaxy, where it can start an active galactic nucleus.”
“These gas flows have significantly shaped NGC 5248, with many bright regions of intense star formation spread throughout the disk and dominated by populations of young stars.”
“This galaxy has two very active ring-like starburst regions filled with young star clusters around its core.”
“While these 'nuclear rings' are noteworthy enough, nuclear rings usually tend to prevent gas from penetrating further into the center of the galaxy.”
“The fact that NGC 5248 has a second ring inside the first shows how powerful its flow of matter and energy is.”
“Due to its relatively close proximity and highly visible starburst region, this galaxy is a target for professional and amateur astronomers alike.”
Source: www.sci.news
