M63: The Sunflower Galaxy from Hubble
Explanation:
One of the bright spiral galaxies visible in the north sky is M63, the
Sunflower Galaxy.
M63, also catalogued as NGC 5055, can be found with a small telescope toward the
constellation of
Hunting Dogs
(Canes Venatici).
The
featured picture
from the Hubble Space Telescope exhibits the center of M63, complete with long winding
spiral arms glowing blue from a few bright young stars,
emission nebulae glowing red from hot ionized
hydrogen gas, and dark dust in numerous filaments.
M63 interacts gravitationally with
M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy)
and several smaller galaxies.
Light takes about
35 million years
to reach us from M63, and about 60,000 years to cross the
spiral galaxy.
Stars in the outer regions of the
Sunflower Galaxy
rotate about the center at a
speed so high that,
given the matter seen and
assuming normal gravity, they should
fly off into space.
The fact that the stars remain
indicates
the presence of sort of invisible, gravitationally-binding,
dark matter.
Free Download:
APOD 2017 Calendar: NASA Images
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
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rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
