Astronomy Picture of the Day
    


NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans
<< Yesterday 16.08.2017 Tomorrow >>
NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans
Credit & Copyright: Processing - Robert Gendler, Roberto Colombari
Data - Hubble Legacy Archive, European Southern Observatory
Explanation: Distorted galaxy NGC 2442 can be found in the southern constellation of the flying fish, (Piscis) Volans. Located about 50 million light-years away, the galaxy's two spiral arms extending from a pronounced central bar have a hook-like appearance in wide-field images. But this mosaicked close-up, constructed from Hubble Space Telescope and European Southern Observatory data, follows the galaxy's structure in amazing detail. Obscuring dust lanes, young blue star clusters and reddish star forming regions surround a core of yellowish light from an older population of stars. The sharp image data also reveal more distant background galaxies seen right through NGC 2442's star clusters and nebulae. The image spans about 75,000 light-years at the estimated distance of NGC 2442.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
 < August 2017  >
Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su

123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031


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.

Based on Astronomy Picture Of the Day

Publications with keywords: barred spiral galaxy
Publications with words: barred spiral galaxy
See also:
All publications on this topic >>