Pan of Arp 122: A "Herculean" Galactic Merger | Hubble Space Telescope

Pan of Arp 122: A "Herculean" Galactic Merger | Hubble Space Telescope

This Hubble image features Arp 122, a peculiar galaxy that is made up of two galaxies—NGC 6040, the tilted, warped spiral galaxy and LEDA 59642, the round, face-on spiral—that are in the middle of a collision in the constellation Hercules. This dramatic cosmic encounter is located at the very safe distance of roughly 570 million light-years from Earth. Peeking in at the corner is the elliptical galaxy NGC 6041, a central member of the galaxy cluster that Arp 122 resides in, but otherwise not participating in this monster merger.

Image Description: Two spiral galaxies are merging together at the right side of the image. One is seen face-on and is circular in shape. The other seems to lie in front of the first one. This galaxy is seen as a disc tilted away from the viewer and it is partially warped. In the lower-left corner, cut off by the frame, a large elliptical galaxy appears as light radiating from a point. Many small galaxies cover the background.

Galactic collisions and mergers are monumentally energetic and dramatic events, but they take place on a very slow timescale. For example, the Milky Way is on track to collide with its nearest galactic neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), but these two galaxies have a good four billion years to go before they actually meet. The process of colliding and merging will not be a quick one either. It may  take hundreds of millions of years to unfold. These collisions take so long because of the truly massive distances involved.

Galaxies are composed of stars and their solar systems, dust and gas. In galactic collisions, therefore, these constituent components may experience enormous changes in the gravitational forces acting on them. In time, this completely changes the structure of the two (or more) colliding galaxies, and sometimes ultimately results in a single, merged galaxy. This may well be what results from the collision pictured in this image. Galaxies that result from mergers are thought to have a regular or elliptical structure, as the merging process disrupts more complex structures (such as those observed in spiral galaxies). It would be fascinating to know what Arp 122 will look like once this collision is complete . . . but that will not happen for a long, long time. 

Credit: European Space Agency/Hubble & NASA, J. Dalcanton, Dark Energy Survey/DOE/FNAL/DECam/CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA, N. Bartmann  

Acknowledgement: L. Shatz

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: Jan. 24, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Galaxies #Galaxy #Arp122 #NGC6040 #NGC6041 #SpiralGalaxies #MergingGalaxies #Hercules #Constellation #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #NOIRLab #AURA #NSF #DOE #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Eclipse Moon Shadow & Soyuz MS-24 Crew Departure | International Space Station

Eclipse Moon Shadow & Soyuz MS-24 Crew Departure | International Space Station

The Moon's shadow, or umbra, is pictured covering portions of the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick and the American state of Maine in this photograph from the International Space Station as it soared into the solar eclipse from 261 miles above.

The Moon's shadow, or umbra, is pictured covering portions of the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick and the American state of Maine in this photograph from the International Space Station as it soared into the solar eclipse from 261 miles above.

The Moon's shadow, or umbra, is pictured covering portions of the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick and the American state of Maine in this photograph from the International Space Station as it soared into the solar eclipse from 261 miles above.

The Moon's shadow, or umbra, is pictured covering portions of the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick and the American state of Maine in this photograph from the International Space Station as it soared into the solar eclipse from 261 miles above.

Orbiting 260 miles above the Northeastern coast of the United States, the Expedition 71 crew experienced the 2024 solar eclipse from space. Pictured here is the umbra, or the Moon's shadow, passing over Earth. Aboard the International Space Station to witness the celestial event was NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Tracy Dyson of tyhe United States, as well as cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Alexander Grebenkin of Russia.

The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft is pictured moments after undocking from the International Space Station's Rassvet module. Aboard the Soyuz crew ship for the ride back to Earth were NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus. The orbital outpost was soaring 261 miles above northeast China at the time of this photograph.

The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft is pictured moments after undocking from the International Space Station's Rassvet module. Aboard the Soyuz crew ship for the ride back to Earth were NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus.

The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft is pictured docked to the International Space Station's Rassvet module as it soared into an orbital sunset 260 miles above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Costa Rica. Aboard the Soyuz crew ship and waiting to undock from Rassvet for the ride back to Earth were NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus.

The Moon's shadow, or umbra, is pictured covering portions of the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick and the American state of Maine in these photographs from the International Space Station as it soared into the solar eclipse from 261 miles above.

The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft is also pictured moments before and after undocking from the International Space Station's Rassvet module. Aboard the Soyuz crew ship for the ride back to Earth were NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus.

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Image Dates: April 6-8, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #ISS #SoyuzMS24 #Astronaut #Cosmonauts #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #TotalSolarEclipse #JSC #UnitedStates #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Russia #Россия #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education

Solar Eclipse 2024: High-res Orbital View | NOAA GOES-East Weather Satellite

Solar Eclipse 2024: High-res Orbital View | NOAA GOES-East Weather Satellite

NOAA’s GOES-East weather satellite had a front row seat and unique view of the 2024 solar eclipse, sending back data and imagery every five minutes as the path of totality spanned across North America.

4K video version available here: https://youtu.be/MoDBHIlY9FA

This is a series of high-res images from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-16) capturing the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Fifty-five images stitched together (with transitions) beginning at 16:10 UTC and ending at 20:35 UTC. 

The Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison SSEC tracked the eclipse in near real-time using GOES-East Advanced Baseline Imager and Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) instrument to view of the Earth as well as the Sun behind it: 

The GOES-East and GOES-West satellites provide continuous observation of the atmosphere and weather from Hawaii to Eastern Canada. These images were captured by the Advanced Baseline Imager instrument aboard GOES-East, sending images back to Earth every 5 minutes.

GOES-EAST is the first of the GOES-R series of satellites operated by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).    

Credit: SSEC/CIMSS

Duration: 16 seconds

Capture Date: April 8, 2024

Release Date: April 9, 2024

#NASA #NOAA #Space #Science #Satellite #Sun #Moon #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #Earth #Planet #Atmosphere #GOESEast #GOES16 #SSEC #SUVI #Mexico #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthAmerica #CentralAmerica #SouthAmerica #AtlanticOcean #PacificOcean #Weather #Meteorology #RemoteSensing #EarthObservation #STEM #Education #4K #HD #Video

Panning over Spiral Galaxy IC 4633: Hidden in a Dark Cloud | Hubble

Panning over Spiral Galaxy IC 4633: Hidden in a Dark Cloud | Hubble

This is the spiral galaxy IC 4633, located 100 million light-years away from us in the constellation Apus. IC 4633 is a galaxy rich in star-forming activity, as well as hosting an active galactic nucleus at its core. From our point of view, the galaxy is tilted mostly towards us, giving astronomers a fairly good view of its billions of stars. However, we cannot fully appreciate the features of this galaxy—at least in visible light—because it is partially concealed by a stretch of dark dust. A vast, narrow trail of faint gas that snakes over the southern celestial pole, this cloud overlapping IC 4633 has been called the South Celestial Serpent.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, J. Dalcanton, Dark Energy Survey/DOE/FNAL/DECam/CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA, N. Bartmann (ESA/Hubble)  

Acknowledgement: L. Shatz

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: April 9, 2024

#NASA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #IC4633 #Galaxy #MW9 #SouthCelestialSerpent #IFN #Apus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescope #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Advancing Moon Mobility for Artemis Astronauts | This Week @NASA

Advancing Moon Mobility for Artemis Astronauts | This Week @NASA

Week of April 5, 2024: Advancing Moon mobility for Artemis astronauts, getting ready for the total solar eclipse, and a milestone engine test for our Artemis Moon rocket . . . a few of the stories to tell you about—This Week at NASA!

Video Credit: NASA

Video Producer & Editor: Andre Valentine

Narrator: Emanuel Cooper

Duration: 2 minutes, 54 seconds

Release Date: April 9, 2024

#NASA #ESA #CSA #Space #Astronomy #Earth #Sun #SolarEclipse #Moon #ArtemisProgram #LunarTerrainVehicle #LTV #LTVS #MoonBuggy #Astronauts #HumanSpaceflight #MoonToMars #JWST #Science #SpaceExploration #JSC #SLS #RS25Engines #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Solar Eclipse Views: Texas, Ohio, Washington, DC & The International Space Station

Solar Eclipse Views: Texas, Ohio, Washington, DC & The International Space Station

This composite image of multiple exposures shows the progression of a total solar eclipse in Dallas, Texas on Monday, April 8, 2024.

Orbiting 260 miles above the Northeastern coast of the United States, the Expedition 71 crew experienced the 2024 solar eclipse from space. Pictured here is the umbra, or the Moon's shadow, passing over Earth. Aboard the International Space Station to witness the celestial event was NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Tracy Dyson, as well as cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Alexander Grebenkin of Russia.

Eclipse composite over Cleveland, Ohio

This composite image of multiple exposures shows the progression of a partial solar eclipse over the Washington Monument, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Washington. 

Eclipse composite over NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio

This composite image of multiple exposures shows the progression of a total solar eclipse in Dallas, Texas on Monday, April 8, 2024.

Solar prominences are seen during a total solar eclipse in Dallas, Texas on Monday, April 8, 2024.

Eclipse view over Cleveland, Ohio

A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the North American continent from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of Central America and Europe. 

Learn more on NASA's Eclipse page: 

https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/

Image Credits: NASA/Joel Kowsky/Bill Ingalls/Keegan Barber/Aubrey Gemignani/Jordan Salkin/Quentin Schwinn/Johnson Space Center

Image Date: April 8, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #ISS #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #TotalSolarEclipse #Dallas #Texas #WashingtonDC #NASAGlenn #Cleveland #Ohio #UnitedStates #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education

Total Solar Eclipse 2024 Earth Orbital View | NOAA GOES-16 Weather Satellite

Total Solar Eclipse 2024: Earth Orbital View | NOAA GOES-16 Weather Satellite

The United States GOES-EAST Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-16) captured the Moon’s shadow moving across North America on April 8, 2024. This weather satellite orbits the earth at around 22,000 miles (35,000 kilometers) above Earth and is centered on the Americas.

GOES-EAST is the first of the GOES-R series of satellites operated by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Video Credit: Images courtesy of European Space Agency (ESA)/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Acknowledgement: SciNews

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: April 9, 2024

#NASA #NOAA #Space #Science #Satellite #Sun #Moon #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #Earth #Planet #Atmosphere #GOESEast #GOES16 #CIRA #Geocolor #Mexico #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthAmerica #CentralAmerica #SouthAmerica #AtlanticOcean #PacificOcean #Weather #Meteorology #RemoteSensing #EarthObservation #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Welcome Home, Loral! | NASA's Johnson Space Center

Welcome Home, Loral! | NASA's Johnson Space Center

"All smiles after a successful mission and 204 days spent aboard the International Space Station. 🌎"

NASA astronaut Loral is seen here arriving back in Houston, Texas where the Johnson Space Center is located.

O’Hara ended her time in space with a parachute-assisted landing in the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan on Saturday, April 6, 2024.

O’Hara, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, began the journey back to Earth when the Soyuz undocked from the International Space Station earlier in the day.

O’Hara arrived at the International Space Station on Sept. 15, 2023, spending 204 days in low Earth orbit.

During her 204 days aboard the station, O’Hara experienced:

Approximately 3,264 orbits of Earth

Approximately 86,555,554 statute miles traveled

Eight spacecraft visiting the International Space Station, including two Roscosmos Progress cargo ships, one Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft, one Roscosmos Soyuz, two crewed SpaceX Dragons, and two uncrewed SpaceX Dragons.

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Image Date: April 7, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #SoyuzMS24Spacecraft #СоюзМС24 #Astronaut #LoralOHara #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegNovitskiy #Russia #Россия #MarinaVasilevskaya #Belarus #Беларусь #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #Houston #Texas #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Solar Eclipse Views over Ohio | NASA's Glenn Research Center

Solar Eclipse Views over Ohio | NASA's Glenn Research Center

Solar eclipse views over Cleveland, Ohio, on April 8, 2024. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the North American continent from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of Central America and Europe. 

Learn more about NASA's Glenn Center:

https://www.nasa.gov/glenn/

Image Credits: NASA's Glenn Research Center

Image Date: April 8, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #TotalSolarEclipse #NASAGlenn #Cleveland #Ohio #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

North America Solar Eclipse View | International Space Station

North America Solar Eclipse View | International Space Station

The International Space Station soared into the Moon’s shadow during the solar eclipse on Monday afternoon, April 8, 2024. The Expedition 71 crew members had an opportunity to view the shadow at the end of their workday filled with cargo transfers, spacesuit maintenance, and microgravity research.

The windows on the cupola, the orbital outpost’s “window to the world,” were open and NASA Flight Engineers Matthew Dominick and Jeanette Epps were inside photographing and videotaping the Moon’s shadow on Earth, or umbra, beneath them. They were orbiting 260 miles above southeastern Canada as the Moon’s umbra was moving from New York state into Newfoundland.

The space station experienced a totality of about 90% during its flyover period. Views of the solar eclipse itself, the Moon orbiting directly between the sun and the Earth, were only accessible through a pair of windows in the space station’s Roscosmos segment which may not have been accessible due to cargo constraints.

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Acknowledgement: C-SPAN

Duration: 2 minutes, 23 seconds

Capture Date: April 8, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #SoyuzMS24Spacecraft #СоюзМС24 #Astronaut #LoralOHara #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegNovitskiy #Russia #Россия #MarinaVasilevskaya #Belarus #Беларусь #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #JSC #Canada #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Solar Eclipse Views over Texas, Indiana & Washington, DC

Solar Eclipse Views over Texas, Indiana & Washington, DC

A total solar eclipse is seen from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

A total solar eclipse is seen from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

A total solar eclipse is seen in Kerrville, TX on Monday, April 8, 2024. 

A total solar eclipse is seen from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Moon is seen passing in front of the Sun, with the top of the Washington Monument in silhouette, during a partial solar eclipse in Washington, on Monday, April 8, 2024.

The Moon, lower right, is seen passing in front of the Sun, with the top of the Washington Monument in silhouette, during a partial solar eclipse in Washington, on Monday, April 8, 2024.

The Moon is seen passing in front of the Sun during a partial solar eclipse from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the North American continent from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of Central America and Europe. 

Image Credits: NASA/Joel Kowsky/Bill Ingalls/Aubrey Gemignani

Image Date: April 8, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #EclipseMap #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #TotalSolarEclipse #Canada #Mazatlan #Mexico #GSFC #Kerrville #Texas #Indianapolis #Indiana #WashingtonDC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Total Solar Eclipse 2024 over Mexico | NASA

Total Solar Eclipse 2024 over Mexico | NASA

The Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024, seen from Mazatlan, Mexico.

To learn more about solar eclipse safety, visit: 

https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/safety/ 

View and download the eclipse map here: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5073

Credit: NASA/NASA SSERVI

Acknowledgement: SciNews

Duration: 1 minute, 30 seconds

Capture Date: April 8, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #EclipseMap #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #TotalSolarEclipse #EclipseSafety #Canada #Mazatlan #Mexico #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

What is a Solar Eclipse? | National Science Foundation

What is a Solar Eclipse? | National Science Foundation

What is a solar eclipse? How is an annular eclipse different? How do we study the sun? Dr. Carrie Black, a program officer at the U.S. National Science Foundation who oversees operations at the National Solar Observatory, explains the science of the sun and answers commonly asked questions about our star. 

To learn more about eclipse safety visit: go.nasa.gov/EclipseSafety

View and download the eclipse map here: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5073

Credit: National Science Foundation (NSF)

Duration: 8 minutes, 47 seconds

Release Date: Oct. 13, 2023

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Heliophysics #Science #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #SolarEclipse #AnnularEclipse #EclipseMap #Eclipse2024 #EyeProtection #SafetyMeasures #Canada #Mexico #SouthAmerica #GSFC #NSF #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

This Week's Stargazing: The Great American Eclipse Arrives | BBC Sky at Night

This Week's Stargazing: The Great American Eclipse Arrives | BBC Sky at Night

Week of April 8 to 14, 2024: On April 8 2024, a total solar eclipse will pass across Mexico, the eastern US and Canada. Where can you see the eclipse? How do you watch the eclipse safely? When will the next eclipse for the UK be? Find out all this, plus all our usual stargazing highlights in our weekly podcasting guide, Star Diary.

Find out how to see all this and more in our weekly stargazing podcast, Star Diary April 8 to 14, 2024.

To learn more about eclipse safety visit: go.nasa.gov/EclipseSafety

View and download the eclipse map here: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5073

Video Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Duration: 24 minutes

Release Date: April 7, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Stars #Planets #Earth #Moon #Sun #Skywatching #SolarEclipses #EclipseMap #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #TotalSolarEclipse #Canada #Mexico #GSFC #USRA #UnitedStates #BBC #UK #Britain #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Gum 41 Nebula | European Southern Observatory

The Gum 41 Nebula | European Southern Observatory

This image shows the GUM 41 nebula. It takes up most of the frame. It is a reddish-brown, circular-shaped nebula with a bright central star. There is a second bright star outside of the nebula towards the bottom right of the image, circled by some additional, fainter reddish-brown clouds. The background of the image is dotted with stars of many colors and sizes.

Located in the picturesque southern constellation of Centaurus, the Gum 41 nebula takes up most of this image brought to you by the VLT Survey Telescope, hosted at the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. Let us take a closer look at this intricate structure.

Set against a colorful backdrop of stars, Gum 41 is a pleasantly symmetric example of a Strömgren sphere—a shell of hydrogen gas atoms glowing in rosy hues due to the radiation of the dazzling central star. While this star, called HD 100099, may appear to be one very bright object, it is actually thought to be two young, massive stars orbiting in such a tight embrace that they cannot be separated at the scale of this image.

This romantic region is home to many pairs like this, including the luminous object on the lower right outskirts of the nebula, HD 99944. Sadly, the love story in these stellar couples will have a tragic ending: unlike our Sun, these hot and massive stars tend to have short lifetimes of only a few million years, and eventually there will be no young stars left to make the nebula glow. One day, Gum 41 will fade into transparency and be lost to future astronomers forever.

Gum 41 is also a member of a much larger region, affectionately called the Running Chicken Nebula. Whether Gum 41 forms the foot or the head of the chicken is surprisingly controversial. Take a look here—what do you see?

Credit: ESO/VPHAS+ team

Acknowlegement: CASU

Release Date: April 8, 2024

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StarFormation #Nebulae #Nebula #Gum41 #ReflectionNebula #StrömgrenSphere #Centaurus #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #VLTSurveyTelescope #ParanalObservatory #Chile #Europe #STEM #Education

Spiral Galaxy IC 4633: Hidden in a Dark Cloud | Hubble

Spiral Galaxy IC 4633: Hidden in a Dark Cloud | Hubble

This is the spiral galaxy IC 4633, located 100 million light-years away from us in the constellation Apus. IC 4633 is a galaxy rich in star-forming activity, as well as hosting an active galactic nucleus at its core. From our point of view, the galaxy is tilted mostly towards us, giving astronomers a fairly good view of its billions of stars.

However, we cannot fully appreciate the features of this galaxy—at least in visible light—because it is partially concealed by a stretch of dark dust. This dark nebula is part of the Chamaeleon star-forming region, itself located only around 500 light-years from us, in a nearby part of the Milky Way galaxy. The dark clouds in the Chamaeleon region occupy a large area of the southern sky, covering their namesake constellation but also encroaching on nearby constellations, like Apus. The cloud is well-studied for its treasury of young stars, particularly the cloud Cha I, which has been imaged by Hubble and also by the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope.

The cloud overlapping IC 4633 lies east of the well-known Cha I, II and III, and has been called MW9 or the South Celestial Serpent. A vast, narrow trail of faint gas that snakes over the southern celestial pole, it is much more subdued-looking than its neighbors. It is classified as an integrated flux nebula (IFN)—a cloud of gas and dust in the Milky Way galaxy that is not near to any single star, and is only faintly lit by the total light of all the galaxy’s stars. Hubble has no problem making out the South Celestial Serpent, though this image captures only a tiny part of it. For a showy astronomical object like IC 4633, among the South Celestial Serpent’s coils clearly is not a bad place to hide.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy seen nearly face-on. The disc is made up of many tightly wound spiral arms. They contain small strands of reddish dust, near the center. On the left side, the disc features glowing patches of star formation. The whole right side, and part of the center, is obscured by a large cloud of dark grey gas which crosses the image.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, J. Dalcanton, Dark Energy Survey/DOE/FNAL/DECam/CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

Acknowledgement: L. Shatz

Release Date: April 8, 2024

#NASA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #IC4633 #Galaxy #MW9 #SouthCelestialSerpent #IFN #Apus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescope #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education