Seeing Through Galaxies
Explanation:
In this dramatic picture,
spiral galaxy
NGC 5091 appears in the foreground.
Tilted nearly
edge-on,
the dust lanes between its spiral arms are clearly visible.
The large
elliptical galaxy NGC 5090 lies just beyond it -
both are about 100 million light years distant in the southern
constellation Centaurus.
Can you see through the spiral galaxy?
The detailed
answer to this question has important implications
for determining
the nature of
dark matter and the measurement of
star formation rates.
Comparing the overlapping and non-overlapping parts of
this and other
pairs of galaxies offers a neat way to find the answer.
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.
