NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Snaps Star-Forming, Irregular Spiral Galaxy
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Snaps Star-Forming, Irregular Spiral Galaxy
On March 28, 2020, the Hubble Space Telescope snapped a photo of an irregular spiral galaxy called IC 2163. This galaxy is located in the constellation of Sextans, about 13.7 million light-years away from Earth.
This particular galaxy is interesting because it is undergoing a process of star formation. The bright blue areas in the photo are regions where new stars are being born. This process is thought to be triggered by a collision between IC 2163 and another small galaxy.
The collision between the two galaxies has resulted in a distortion of IC 2163’s structure. This is most evident in the spiral arms, which are not as symmetrical as they would be in a “normal” spiral galaxy.
Despite its chaotic appearance, IC 2163 is a relatively calm galaxy. There is very little evidence of ongoing or recent starbursts, which are periods of enhanced star formation. This is likely due to the fact that the collision between the two galaxies is not currently taking place.
The photo of IC 2163 was taken as part of the Hubble Legacy Field, which is a deep-sky survey that is being conducted by the Hubble Space Telescope. This survey is designed to study the distant universe and to look for evidence of how galaxies have evolved over time.
Galaxy’s Star-Forming Activity Triggered by Recent Merger
The irregular spiral galaxy known as NGC 4485 is currently in the process of merging with another galaxy, known as NGC 4490. This interaction between the two galaxies is causing an increase in star-forming activity within NGC 4485.
This can be seen in the new image of NGC 4485, taken by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The image shows a bright burst of star formation near the center of the galaxy, where the two galaxies are interacting.
This burst of star formation is likely the result of the galaxies’ interaction. As the two galaxies merge, they will trigger a process known as “hydrodynamic compression.” This compression will cause gas and dust within the galaxies to collapse, forming new stars.
The starburst seen in NGC 4485 is just one example of how galaxy interactions can trigger new star formation. In many cases, these interactions can lead to the formation of new galaxies.
The two galaxies in this image, NGC 4485 and NGC 4490, are part of a group of galaxies known as the M81 group. This group also includes the well-known spiral galaxy M81.
The M81 group is located about 11.7 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major.
Hubble’s Unique View of Galaxy’s Star-Forming Regions
Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has provided humanity with some of the most stunning and detailed images of the cosmos that we have ever seen. One of its many accomplishments is helping us to better understand the process of star formation. In this latest image, Hubble has captured three galaxies in different stages of this process, providing a unique view of how star formation can differ from one galaxy to the next.
The top left panel of the image shows the spiral galaxy NGC 4449, which is undergoing a burst of star formation. This can be seen by the numerous pink regions scattered throughout the galaxy. These regions are known as star-forming regions, and they are where new stars are born. The star formation in NGC 4449 is not evenly distributed, however. It is concentrated in the galaxy’s spiral arms, which is where most of the gas and dust in the galaxy is located. This is not the case for the other two galaxies in the image, however.
The top right panel shows the spiral galaxy NGC 2976. This galaxy is much smaller than NGC 4449, and it is also much further away from us. As a result, the star-forming regions in this galaxy appear much smaller in the image. Nevertheless, they are still clearly visible. The star formation in this galaxy is also not evenly distributed. However, unlike NGC 4449, the star formation in NGC 2976 is not concentrated in the spiral arms. Instead, it is spread out evenly throughout the galaxy.
The bottom panel of the image shows the irregular galaxy IC 2574. This galaxy is much different from the other two. It does not have a well-defined spiral structure. Instead, it is a messy, chaotic-looking object. The star formation in this galaxy is also very different. Unlike the other two galaxies, the star formation in IC 2574 is not concentrated in any one particular region. Instead, it is spread out evenly throughout the galaxy. This is likely due to the fact that this galaxy does not have as much gas and dust as the other two.
All three of these galaxies are undergoing star formation. However, each one is doing so in a different way. This
Galaxy’s Star-Forming Activity Could Help Us Understand Universe’s Evolution
Our universe is constantly evolving, and studying how different galaxies change over time can give us important clues about how our own galaxy will evolve in the future. One type of galaxy that is particularly interesting to astronomers is the spiral galaxy, which is characterized by its spiral arms of young, hot stars. These galaxies are thought to be the most common type of galaxy in the universe, and our own Milky Way is a spiral galaxy.
One way that astronomers study how spiral galaxies evolve is by looking at their star-forming activity. This activity can be measured by looking at the amount of ultraviolet light emitted by the galaxies. The more star formation a galaxy has, the more ultraviolet light it will emit.
A recent study by astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope has found that four spiral galaxies in our local universe are undergoing unusually high levels of star formation. This star formation is so high that it could be helping us to understand the evolution of our own universe.
The four galaxies in question are known as NGC 1512, NGC 2537, NGC 2835, and NGC 3310. These galaxies are all located within 100 million light-years of Earth, making them some of our closest galactic neighbors.
The astronomers who conducted the study used the ultraviolet imaging capabilities of the Hubble Space Telescope to measure the star-forming activity of these galaxies. They found that all four galaxies are emitting much more ultraviolet light than would be expected for their size and mass.
The amount of star formation taking place in these galaxies is so high that it is thought to be triggered by interactions with other galaxies. For example, NGC 3310 is thought to be interacting with the nearby galaxy NGC 3312. This interaction is thought to be causing a burst of star formation in NGC 3310.
The other three galaxies in the study are also thought to be experiencing similar bursts of star formation, although the exact trigger is not known.
This study is important because it is helping us to understand how spiral galaxies evolve. These galaxies are thought to be the most common type of galaxy in the universe, so understanding their evolution is important for understanding the evolution of the universe as a whole.
The four galaxies in
