Starbursting sculptor galaxy

NGC 253, also known as the Sculptor Galaxy, is the brightest of the Sculptor Group of galaxies, found in the constellation of the same name, and lying approximately 13 million light-years from Earth. The Sculptor Galaxy is known as a starburst galaxy for its current high rate of star formation, one result of which is its superwind, a stream energetic material spewing out from the centre of the galaxy out into space. The purple light comes from that frenzy of star formation, which originally began 30 million years ago, while the yellowish colour is created by dust lit up by young, massive stars.

This image combines observations performed through three different filters (B, V, R) with the 1.5-metre Danish telescope at the ESO La Silla Observatory in Chile.

Credit:

ESO/IDA/Danish 1.5 m/ R. Gendler, U. G. Jørgensen, J. Skottfelt, K. Harpsøe

Over de afbeelding

Id:potw1017a
Type:Observatie
Publicatiedatum:26 april 2010 10:00
Grootte:4586 x 2399 px

Over het object

Naam:NGC 253, Sculptor Galaxy
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy : Activity : Starburst
Afstand:13 miljoen lichtjaren
Constellation:Sculptor
Categorie:Galaxies

Afbeeldingstypen

Grote JPEG
2,9 MB

Inzoomen


Achtergrond

1024x768
209,7 KB
1280x1024
345,0 KB
1600x1200
496,6 KB
1920x1200
562,6 KB
2048x1536
835,1 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):0 47 33.72
Position (Dec):-25° 17' 1.66"
Field of view:30.17 x 15.79 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 135.0° left of vertical

Kleuren & filters

BandTelescoop
Optisch
B
Danish 1.54-metre telescope
Optisch
V
Danish 1.54-metre telescope
Optisch
R
Danish 1.54-metre telescope