M100: A Grand Design Spiral Galaxy
Explanation:
Majestic on a truly cosmic scale, M100 is appropriately known as a
grand design
spiral galaxy.
It is a large galaxy of over 100 billion stars with well-defined spiral arms that
is similar to our own
Milky Way Galaxy.
One of the brightest members of the
Virgo Cluster of galaxies,
M100
(alias NGC 4321) is 56 million light-years distant toward the constellation of
Berenice's Hair
(
Coma Berenices).
This Hubble
Space Telescope
image of
M100 was made in 2006 and reveals bright blue
star clusters and
intricate winding
dust lanes which are hallmarks of this class of galaxies.
Studies of variable stars in
M100
have played an important role in determining the
size and age of the Universe.
If you know exactly
where to look,
you can find a small spot that is a
light echo
from a bright supernova that was
recorded a few months before the image was taken.
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.
