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Credit & Copyright: NASA,
SOFIA,
HAWC+,
Alejandro S. Borlaff;
JPL-Caltech,
ESA,
Hubble;
Text:
Jayanne English
(U. Manitoba)
Explanation:
Do magnetic fields always flow along spiral arms?
Our face-on view of the
Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) allows a
spectacularly clear view of the spiral wave pattern in a disk-shaped galaxy.
When observed with a
radio telescope, the
magnetic field appears to
trace the arms' curvature.
However, with NASAÁs flying
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) observatory, the
magnetic field
at the outer edge of
M51's disk
appears to weave across the arms instead.
Magnetic fields are inferred by
grains of dust
aligning in one direction and acting
like polaroid glasses on
infrared light.
In the
featured image, the field orientations determined from this polarized light
are
algorithmically
connected, creating streamlines.
Possibly the gravitational tug of the
companion galaxy,
at the top of the frame, on the dusty gas of the reddish star-forming regions, visible
in the
Hubble Space Telescope image, enhances
turbulence --
stirring the dust and lines to produce the unexpected field pattern of the outer
arms.
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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: M 51 - Whirlpool galaxy
Publications with words: M 51 - Whirlpool galaxy
See also: