Messier 74 (M74) is a big spiral galaxy within the Pisces equatorial constellation. Often known as NGC 628 and Phantom Galaxy, the galaxy is positioned about 32 million light-years away from Earth.
M74 has two clearly outlined spiral arms. Just lately, NASA/ESA Hubble House Telescope shared a picture of the galaxy, displaying the arms of the galaxy are studded with rosy pink areas. These areas are recent star formation areas within the universe.
Plus, it reveals lovely reddish blooms that unfold all through the galaxy. They're enormous clouds of hydrogen gasoline. The clouds are glowing due to the ultraviolet radiation from scorching, younger stars embedded inside them. Astronomers dub these areas H II areas, indicating the placement of current star formation. These areas are a degree of a goal for each space- and ground-based telescopes. Hubble’s Superior Digicam for Surveys, which collected the info on this picture, even has a filter designed to pick solely this particular crimson wavelength of sunshine!
The information on this picture is derived from a sequence of investigations- on the evolution of close by spiral galaxies like M74- to be taught extra in regards to the historical past of star formation in these spirals. Astronomers did this by taking a look at star clusters to date- the assorted parts of spiral galaxies, which allowed them to understand how the galaxies got here to be by means of time. Moreover, they checked out how mud is distributed all through spiral galaxies; on this picture, mud may be seen as darkish threads working round M74’s spiral arms.
Other than their quest to grasp the historical past of spiral galaxies, astronomers additionally noticed M74 to enrich observations from different telescopes. Combining observations of the identical object from completely different telescopes throughout the electromagnetic spectrum provides astronomers much more perception than observations from a single telescope. Hubble’s observations additionally paved the best way for future devices; M74 was one of many first targets of the highly effective new NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb House Telescope.
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