Posted on 02/20/2012 7:51:38 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Explanation: Many spiral galaxies have bars across their centers. Even our own Milky Way Galaxy is thought to have a modest central bar. Prominently barred spiral galaxy NGC 1073, pictured above, was captured in spectacular detail in this recently released image taken by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. Visible are dark filamentary dust lanes, young clusters of bright blue stars, red emission nebulas of glowing hydrogen gas, a long bright bar of stars across the center, and a bright active nucleus that likely houses a supermassive black hole. Light takes about 55 million years to reach us from NGC 1073, which spans about 80,000 light years across. NGC 1073 can be seen with a moderately-sized telescope toward the constellation of the Sea Monster (Cetus), Fortuitously, the above image not only caught the X-ray bright star system IXO 5, visible on the upper left and likely internal to the barred spiral, but three quasars far in the distance.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
[Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Space Telescope]
|
Only 55 million lightyears ? Why we’re practically neighbors!
I am always in awe at the size of God's creation!
I wouldn’t go to one that didn’t have a bar.
Why & from where was it barred? Did it form without a license?
It was quoted saying a perceived racist comment.
I would rather be barred than zotted.
:’)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.