Persbericht

Nieuwe, heldere blik op een klassiek spiraalstelsel

19 mei 2010

ESO heeft een prachtige foto vrijgegeven van het nabije sterrenstelsel Messier 83. De opname is gemaakt met het HAWK-I instrument op ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) op de Paranal-sterrenwacht in Chili. De infraroodopname met de krachtige camera is een van de scherpste en meest gedetailleerde van Messier 83 ooit gemaakt.

Het sterrenstelsel Messier 83 (eso0825) bevindt zich op een afstand van 15 miljoen lichtjaar in het sterrenbeeld Waterslang. Het strekt zich uit over 40.000 lichtjaar. Het heeft de omvang van 40 procent van de Melkweg, waar het veel op lijkt. Net als ons sterrenstelsel heeft Messier 83 een spiraalvorm en een balk met sterren in het midden. Messier 83 staat bekend om zijn vele supernovae, sterren die aan het eind van hun leven ontploffen. De laatste 100 jaar is er een recordaantal van zes supernovae waargenomen. Messier 83 is een van de helderste nabije sterrenstelsels, dat met een verrekijker is te zien.

Messier 83 is geobserveerd in infrarood licht met de krachtige HAWK-I camera [1] op de VLT. In de infraroodopname wordt het verduisterende stof waarin Messier 83 is gehuld, transparant. Het helder verlichte gas rond de jonge sterren in de spiraalarmen wordt minder dicht in het infrarood, waardoor veel meer van de structuur en de sterren in het stelsel te zien is. Astronomen die clusters van jonge sterren bestuderen, hebben veel aan zo’n opname. Onderzoek aan dergelijke clusters was dan ook een van de wetenschappelijke doelen van de observaties [2]. Vergeleken met eerdere opnamen, laat HAWK-I beduidend meer sterren in het melkwegstelsel zien.

De combinatie van de grote spiegel van de VLT, het grote blikveld en de gevoeligheid van de camera en de uitstekende waarneemcondities op ESO’s Paranal-sterrenwacht, maken HAWK-I een van de beste infraroodinstrumenten ter wereld. Astronomen staan in de rij om de camera, die sinds 2007 operationeel is, te gebruiken voor infraroodbeelden van de sterrenhemel.

Noten

[1] HAWK-I staat voor High-Acuity Wide-field K-band Imager. Informatie over technische details van de camera staat in een eerder persbericht (eso0736).

[2] De data die zijn gebruikt voor deze afbeelding zijn verzameld door een team onder leiding van Mark Gieles (University of Cambridge) en Yuri Beletsky (ESO). Mischa Schirmer (University of Bonn) heeft de data verwerkt.

Meer informatie

ESO, de Europese Zuidelijke Sterrenwacht, is de belangrijkste intergouvernementele sterrenkundeorganisatie in Europa en wereldwijd het meest productieve astronomische observatorium. ESO wordt ondersteund door 14 landen: België, Denemarken, Duitsland, Finland, Frankrijk, Italië, Nederland, Oostenrijk, Portugal, Spanje, Tsjechië, het Verenigd Koninkrijk, Zweden en Zwitserland. ESO voert een ambitieus programma uit gericht op het ontwerp, de bouw en de exploitatie van krachtige grondobservatoria die astronomen in staat stellen om belangrijke wetenschappelijke ontdekkingen te doen. ESO speelt ook een leidende rol in het bevorderen en organiseren van samenwerking in het sterrenkundig onderzoek. ESO exploiteert drie observatielocaties van wereldklasse in Chili: La Silla, Paranal en Chajnantor. Op Paranal exploiteert ESO de Very Large Telescope (VLT), 's werelds meest geavanceerde optische observatorium en ESO is de Europese partner van de revolutionaire telescoop ALMA. ESO is momenteel bezig met ontwerpstudies voor de 42-meter Europese Extremely Large optische/nabij-infrarood Telescoop ( E-ELT), die ‘het grootste oog op de hemel’ ter wereld zal worden.

Contact

Richard Hook
ESO
Garching, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6655
E-mail: rhook@eso.org

Marieke Baan (Perscontact Nederland)
ESO Science Outreach Network en NOVA Informatie Centrum
Tel: +31(0)20-5257480
E-mail: eson-netherlands@eso.org

Connect with ESO on social media

Dit is een vertaling van ESO-persbericht eso1020.

Over dit bericht

Persberichten nr.:eso1020nl
Naam:M 83
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Facility:Very Large Telescope
Instruments:HAWK-I

Afbeeldingen

The classic spiral Messier 83 seen in the infrared with HAWK-I
The classic spiral Messier 83 seen in the infrared with HAWK-I
Alleen in het Engels
Highlights of the HAWK-I infrared image of Messier 83
Highlights of the HAWK-I infrared image of Messier 83
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An infrared/visible comparison view of Messier 83
An infrared/visible comparison view of Messier 83
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The sky around Messier 83
The sky around Messier 83
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Video's

Zooming in on the HAWK-I infrared view of Messier 83
Zooming in on the HAWK-I infrared view of Messier 83
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Panning across Messier 83 in the infrared
Panning across Messier 83 in the infrared
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Visible/infrared cross-fades of Messier 83
Visible/infrared cross-fades of Messier 83
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