December 23, 2024

Hubble Sees Double in M99 – A “Grand Design” Spiral Galaxy

Hubble Space Telescope image of spiral galaxy M99, which is approximately 42 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Coma Berenices. Credit: ESA/Hubble & & NASA, M. Kasliwal, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team
The spectacular spiral nebula M99 fills the frame in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. M99– which lies about 42 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Coma Berenices– is a “strategy” spiral galaxy, so-called since of the distinct, prominent spiral arms visible in this image. M99 was caught by Hubbles Wide Field Camera 3 on 2 separate occasions, assisting astronomers study two completely different astronomical phenomena.

Hubble inspected 38 close-by galaxies, identifying clusters of hot, young stars. These galaxies were also observed by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a gigantic radio telescope consisting of 66 private meals set down high in the Chilean Andes.

By ESA/Hubble
May 1, 2022

The very first set of observations aimed to check out a gap between 2 different ranges of cosmic explosions; supernovae and novae. Novae, which are triggered by the interactions in between white dwarfs and bigger stars in double stars, are far less brilliant than the supernovae which mark the catastrophically violent deaths of massive stars. However, current astronomical theories predict that sudden, fleeting occasions could take place that shine with brightnesses between those of novae and supernovae. Despite being described by astronomers as being shrouded in mystery and debate, simply such an occasion was observed in M99. Astronomers relied on Hubbles eager vision to take a more detailed look and specifically locate the fading source.

A strategy spiral galaxy is a type of spiral nebula with well-defined and popular spiral arms, in agreement to multi-arm and flocculent spirals which have subtler structural features. A strategy galaxys spiral arms stretch plainly throughout the galaxy through numerous radians and can be observed over a considerable proportion of the galaxys radius.

The stunning spiral galaxy M99 fills the frame in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. M99– which is located about 42 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Coma Berenices– is a “grand style” spiral galaxy, so-called because of the distinct, popular spiral arms visible in this image. Hubble examined 38 close-by galaxies, identifying clusters of hot, young stars.