M74: The Perfect Spiral
This spiral galaxy is considered a "perfect galaxy" because it is extremely photogenic. M74 is an island galaxy with about 100 billion stars. It is located in the direction of the constellation Pisces, about 32 million light years away. Right now, we can see it face on. The spiral arms of M74 are traced by bright blue star clusters and dark cosmic dust lanes, making them an awe-inspiring sight. This galaxy spans over 30,000 light years across. This image covers half the width of the moon. It was obtained by hours of exposure on the Calar Alto Observatory telescope in a mountain range in Spain, and includes exposure from hydrogen atoms emisson.
No comments:
Post a Comment