The Andromeda Galaxy from GALEX
Explanation:
Why does the Andromeda Galaxy have a giant ring?
Viewed in
ultraviolet light, the closet major galaxy to our
Milky Way Galaxy looks more like a
ring galaxy than a
spiral.
The ring is highlighted beautifully in
this newly released image mosaic of
Andromeda (M31) taken by the
GALaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX),
a satellite launched into Earth orbit in April.
In the
above image, ultraviolet colors have been digitally
shifted to the visual.
Young blue stars dominate the image, indicating the
star forming ring as
well as other star forming regions even further from the
galactic center.
The origin of the huge
150,000-
light year ring is unknown but likely related to
gravitational interactions with small
satellite galaxies
that orbit near the galactic giant.
M31 lies about three million light-years distant
and is bright enough to be seen without binoculars toward the
constellation of
Andromeda.
News:
Today is the December
Solstice.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
