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The uncommon galaxy NGC 4694 has characteristics distinct to the 2 primary galaxy types, spiral and elliptical.
(Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker)
What it is: The galaxy NGC 4694, a member of the Virgo galaxy cluster
Where it is: 54 million light-years from Earth, in the constellation Virgo
When it was shared: Sept. 30, 2024
Why it’s so unique: NGC 4694 is a galaxy that can not be quickly categorized into among the 2 standard galaxy types: spiral and elliptical. Astronomers required to analyze its homes in information to discover its specific category.
Spiral nebula, such as our Galaxyare reasonably young and plentiful in star-forming gas. They display unique spiral arms embellished with hot, brilliant, young stars. On the other hand, elliptical galaxies are more serene. These oval galaxies are made up mostly of older, redder stars. The majority of galaxies fall under these standard types.
NGC 4694 has homes of both types, complicating its category, Hubble Space Telescope group members described in a description of the imageIt has a smooth-looking, armless shape, like an elliptical galaxy, and a disk with a low star-formation rate. It has reasonably more youthful and more recent stars forming in its main area. By contrast, elliptical galaxies do not generally include the active ingredients required for brand-new stars to form. The active star development, which powers the brilliant center, lines up more with the qualities of a spiral nebula. Like a young and dynamic spiral, NGC 4694 is abundant in hydrogen gas and dust and is surrounded by a hydrogen gas cloud.
(Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker)
The image likewise includes reddish-brown dust forming uncommon structures spread throughout the galaxy, expanding from the core. Remarkably, the surrounding cloud of hydrogen gas forms a long bridge to a faint and small close-by galaxy called VCC 2062. An extensive research study of this image exposed that the 2 galaxies might have engaged in an extreme accident, permitting the bigger NGC 4694 to take gas from the smaller sized VCC 2062. This remarkable accident formed NGC 4694 into its special armless, smooth type defined by active star development, categorizing it as a lenticular galaxy
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Lenticular galaxies are intermediates in between ellipticals and spirals. They include a main bulge and a big disk, however they do not have marvelous spiral arms and consist of more fuel for star development than common elliptical galaxies.
Utilizing the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers exposed the galaxy’s category. The spectacular image is an outcome of integrating ultraviolet information with optical information gathered by Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3.
For more superb area images, take a look at our Area Photo of the Week archives
Shreejaya Karantha is a science author focusing on astronomy, covering subjects such as the sun, planetary science, outstanding advancement, great voids, and early universe cosmology. Based in India, she works as an author and research study professional at The Secrets of deep space, where she adds to scripts for research-based and explainer videos. Shreejaya holds a bachelor’s degree in science and a master’s degree in physics with an expertise in astrophysics.
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