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Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня M31: галактика Андромеды http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1937581/eng |
Credit & Copyright: R. Gendler &
R. Croman
Explanation:
The most distant object easily visible to the unaided eye is
M31,
the great Andromeda Galaxy.
Even at some two and a half million
light-years distant,
this immense spiral galaxy -- spanning over
200,000 light years -- is visible, although as a faint, nebulous cloud in the
constellation
Andromeda.
A bright yellow nucleus, dark winding
dust lanes, and
expansive spiral arms dotted with
blue star clusters and
red nebulae,
are recorded in
this stunning telescopic image
which combines data from
orbiting Hubble with ground-based images from
Subaru and
Mayall.
In only about 5 billion years, the Andromeda galaxy may be even
easier to see -- as it will likely span the
entire night sky -- just before it
merges with, or
passes
right by, our
Milky Way Galaxy.
Teachers & Students:
Ideas for using APOD in the classroom
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.