December 23, 2024

Hubble’s Neighborhood Watch: Exploring Every Known Nearby Galaxy

In this Hubble Space Telescope, UGCA 307 hangs against an irregular backdrop of far-off galaxies. Located in the constellation Corvus, approximately 26 million light-years far from Earth, the little galaxy is made up of a sparse grouping of stars sprinkled with red gas bubbles that show locations of recent star formation. Credit: ESA/Hubble & & NASA, R. Tully
UGCA 307 is a little irregular galaxy located approximately 26 million light-years far from Earth in the constellation Corvus. It becomes part of the Local Group of galaxies that includes our Milky Way, and it is significant for its diffuse band of stars and red bubbles of gas that represent current star formation. UGCA 307 is also often described as the “Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte” galaxy, named after the astronomers who first found it.
UGCA 307 hangs against an irregular backdrop of distant galaxies in this image from the Hubble Space Telescope. The small galaxy consists of a diffuse band of stars including red bubbles of gas that mark regions of recent star development, and lies roughly 26 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Corvus. Appearing as simply a little patch of stars, UGCA 307 is a small dwarf galaxy without a specified structure– looking like nothing more than a hazy patch of passing cloud..
This image becomes part of a Hubble job to explore every recognized nearby galaxy, giving astronomers insights into our galactic area. Prior to this set of observations, almost three quarters of close-by galaxies had been examined by Hubble in sufficient information to find the brightest stars and develop up an understanding of the stars occupying each galaxy. This Hubble project set out to explore the remaining quarter of neighboring galaxies by benefiting from short spaces in Hubbles observing schedule.

By ESA/Hubble
March 19, 2023

Hubbles vantage point in low Earth orbit suggests that it is above climatic turbulence, giving it a sharper view of the Universe. In overall, 5 Space Shuttle objectives flew to Hubble and kept it at the forefront of astronomy by installing new instruments.

Located in the constellation Corvus, around 26 million light-years away from Earth, the little galaxy is composed of a sparse grouping of stars sprinkled with red gas bubbles that indicate locations of recent star formation. The little galaxy consists of a diffuse band of stars containing red bubbles of gas that mark regions of current star formation, and lies approximately 26 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Corvus. Before this set of observations, almost three quarters of close-by galaxies had been examined by Hubble in sufficient detail to find the brightest stars and construct up an understanding of the stars populating each galaxy.