The Coma Cluster of Galaxies
Explanation:
Almost every object in the above photograph is a galaxy.
The Coma Cluster of Galaxies pictured here is one of the densest
clusters known - it contains thousands of
galaxies.
Each of these galaxies houses billions of stars -
just as our own
Milky Way Galaxy does.
Although nearby when compared to most other
clusters,
light from the
Coma Cluster
still takes hundreds of millions of years to reach us.
In fact, the
Coma Cluster is so big it takes light
millions of years just to go from one side to the other.
Most galaxies in Coma and other clusters are
ellipticals,
while most
galaxies outside of clusters are
spirals.
The nature of
Coma's X-ray emission is
still being investigated.
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.
