NGC 3783, an intense disallowed spiral galaxy, anchors its namesake galaxy group situated about 130 million light-years away. This Hubble Space Telescope image contrasts NGC 3783 with the much closer star HD 101274, which lies only 1,530 light-years from Earth, producing an optical impression of distance. Credit: ESA/Hubble & & NASA, M. C. Bentz, D. J. V. RosarioIn this Hubble Space Telescope image, NGC 3783, a barred spiral nebula, is included together with the star HD 101274, which, regardless of seeming close-by, is considerably closer to Earth.This image includes NGC 3783, an intense disallowed spiral galaxy about 130 million light-years from Earth, that likewise lends its name to the eponymous NGC 3783 galaxy group. Like galaxy clusters, galaxy groups are aggregates of gravitationally bound galaxies. Galaxy groups, however, are less massive and consist of less members than galaxy clusters do: where galaxy clusters can include hundreds or perhaps countless constituent galaxies, galaxy groups do not normally consist of more than 50. The Milky Way is really part of a galaxy group, understood as the Local Group, which contains two other big galaxies (Andromeda and the Triangulum galaxy), as well as several lots satellite and dwarf galaxies. The NGC 3783 galaxy group, meanwhile, contains 47 galaxies. It likewise appears to be at a fairly early phase of its advancement, making it an interesting item of study.Visual Illusion in SpaceWhile the focus of this image is the spiral galaxy NGC 3783, the eye is equally drawn to the very bright things in the lower best part of this image. This is the star HD 101274. The viewpoint in this image makes the galaxy and the star appear like close companions, but this is an impression. HD 101274 lies only about 1530 light-years from Earth, suggesting it has to do with 85 thousand times closer than NGC 3783. This explains how a single star can appear to outperform an entire galaxy!Detailed Observation by HubbleNGC 3783 is a type-1 Seyfert galaxy, which is a galaxy with a brilliant central area– so its especially brilliant itself, as far as galaxies go. In this image it is recorded by Hubble in extraordinary information, from its glowing main bar to its narrow, winding arms and the dust threaded through them, thanks to 5 separate images taken in different wavelengths of light. In fact, the galactic center is bright enough to Hubble that it exhibits diffraction spikes, typically only seen on stars such as HD 101274.
