Posted on 03/13/2014 4:51:06 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Explanation: A bright spiral galaxy of the northern sky, Messier 63 is about 25 million light-years distant in the loyal constellation Canes Venatici. Also cataloged as NGC 5055, the majestic island universe is nearly 100,000 light-years across. That's about the size of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Known by the popular moniker, The Sunflower Galaxy, M63 sports a bright yellowish core in this sharp, colorful galaxy portrait. Its sweeping blue spiral arms are streaked with cosmic dust lanes and dotted with pink star forming regions. A dominant member of a known galaxy group, M63 has faint, extended features that could be the result of gravitational interactions with nearby galaxies. In fact, M63 shines across the electromagnetic spectrum and is thought to have undergone bursts of intense star formation.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
[Credit & Copyright: Bill Snyder (at Sierra Remote Observatories)]
How can an atheist even EXIST?
Awe and wonder.
To bad it’s an over processed image complete with star spikes...
Nice pics thanks
“All bright galaxies within 20 million light years of Earth, including Earth, are organized in a ‘Local Sheet’ 34 million light years across and only 1.5 million light years thick.”
1.5 million light years thick - that just blows me away.
The “filament” sponge-like structure of the universe has been understood for a while.
This appears to be the first evidence that “small” areas of space operate on the same rules.
Link:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140311100606.htm
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