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Credit & Copyright: NASA,
ESA, and the
Hubble Heritage Team
(STScI/AURA);
Acknowledgment:
K. Cook
(LLNL)
et al.
Explanation:
Why are there faint rings around this spiral galaxy?
Possibly because the galaxy,
NGC 4911, is being pulled
at by its neighbors as it falls into the enormous
Coma Cluster of Galaxies.
If NGC 4911 ends up like most of the galaxies in the
central Coma cluster, it will become a yellowish
elliptical galaxy,
losing not only its outer layers, but dust, gas, and its cadre of surrounding
satellite galaxies
as well.
Currently, however,
this process is just beginning.
Visible in the above deep image from the
Hubble Space Telescope are NGC 4911's bright nucleus, distorted spiral arms
laced with dark dust, clusters of recently formed stars, unusual faint outer rings,
dwarf companion galaxies, and even faint
globular clusters of stars.
Far in the distance many unassociated galaxies
from the early universe are visible, some even through
NGC 4911 itself.
The Coma Cluster contains over 1,000
galaxies making it among the most massive objects known.
NGC 4911 can be found to the lower left of the great cluster's center.
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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: Coma Cluster - spiral galaxy - galactic cluster
Publications with words: Coma Cluster - spiral galaxy - galactic cluster
See also: