NGC 1808: A Nearby Starburst Galaxy
Explanation:
NGC 1808 is a galaxy in turmoil. A
barred spiral
with marked similarities to our home
Milky Way Galaxy,
NGC 1808 is distinguished by a
peculiar nucleus, an unusually
warped disk, and
strange flows of
hydrogen gas out from the central regions.
Amidst all of this, NGC 1808 is undergoing so
much star formation it has been deemed a
starburst galaxy. In the
above color-enhanced photograph,
regions of active star formation and shown by their blue glow.
Here bright blue stars have recently formed and are
energizing large clouds of surrounding hydrogen gas.
The reddish brown regions indicate dense
interstellar dust.
NGC 1808 is a relatively close 40 million light-years away,
and stretches about 35,000 light-years across.
The peculiar state of
NGC 1808 may be caused by the gravity of neighboring galaxy
NGC 1792.
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.
