
Astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have actually produced an impressive brand-new picture of the dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4449.
This Hubble image reveals NGC 4449, a dwarf galaxy some 12.5 million light-years away in the constellation of Canes Venatici. Image credit: NASA/ ESA/ Hubble/ E. Sabbi/ D. Calzetti/ A. Aloisi.
NGC 4449 is found some 12.5 million light-years away in the constellation of Canes Venatici.
Otherwise called Caldwell 21, LEDA 40973 or UGC 7592, this galaxy is around 20,000 light-years throughout.
NGC 4449 was found by the German-born British astronomer William Herschel on April 27, 1788.
It belongs to the M94 galaxy group, which lies close to the Local Group that hosts our Milky Way.
“NGC 4449 is a dwarf galaxy, which indicates that it is far smaller sized and includes less stars than the Milky Way,” the Hubble astronomers stated in a declaration.
“But do not let its little size fool you– NGC 4449 loads a punch when it pertains to making stars.”
“This galaxy is presently forming brand-new stars at a much faster rate than anticipated for its size, that makes it called a starburst galaxy.”
“Most starburst galaxies produce stars primarily in their centers, however NGC 4449 is alight with fantastic young stars throughout.”
The astronomers think that this worldwide burst of star development happened because of NGC 4449’s interactions with its stellar next-door neighbors.
“Because NGC 4449 is so close, it offers an outstanding chance for Hubble to study how interactions in between galaxies can affect the development of brand-new stars,” they kept in mind.
The brand-new color picture of NGC 4449 is comprised of observations from Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) in the ultraviolet, near-infrared, and optical parts of the spectrum.
7 filters were utilized to sample numerous wavelengths. The color arises from appointing various shades to each monochromatic image related to a specific filter.
“A Hubble picture of NGC 4449 was formerly launched in 2007,” the scientists stated.
“This brand-new variation integrates numerous extra wavelengths of light that Hubble gathered for several observing programs.”
“These programs incorporate an amazing variety of science, from a deep dive into NGC 4449’s star-formation history to the mapping of the brightest, most popular, and many huge stars in more than 2 lots neighboring galaxies.”
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