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Credit: NASA, Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT)
Explanation:
This giant spiral galaxy, Messier 101 (M101), was photographed
by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour
during the Astro-2 mission (March 2 - 18, 1995).
The image has been computer processed so that the colors represent
the intensity of ultraviolet light.
Pictures of galaxies like this one
show mainly clouds of gas containing
newly formed stars many times more massive than the sun,
which glow strongly in ultraviolet light.
In contrast, visible light pictures of galaxies
tend to be dominated by the yellow and red light of older stars.
Ultraviolet light, invisible to the human eye, is blocked by
ozone in the atmosphere so ultraviolet pictures of celestial objects
must be taken from space.
For more information see NASA Astro-2 UIT release.
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: M101 - ultraviolet
Publications with words: M101 - ultraviolet
See also: