Irregular Galaxy Sextans A
Explanation:
Grand spiral galaxies
often seem to get all the glory.
Their newly formed, bright, blue
star clusters
found along beautiful, symmetric
spiral arms
are guaranteed to attract attention.
But
small irregular galaxies
form stars too,
like this lovely, gumdrop-shaped galaxy,
Sextans A.
A member of
the local group of galaxies which includes the massive
spirals
Andromeda and our own
Milky Way,
Sextans A is about
10 million light years distant.
The bright Milky Way foreground stars appear yellowish
in this view. Beyond them lie the stars of
Sextans A with tantalizing
young blue clusters clearly visible.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
