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Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня NGC 289: водоворот на южном небе http://www.variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1772809/eng |
Credit & Copyright: Mike Selby
Explanation:
About 70 million light-years distant, gorgeous spiral galaxy NGC 289 is
larger than our
own
Milky Way.
Seen nearly face-on, its bright core and colorful central disk give way
to remarkably faint, bluish spiral arms.
The extensive arms
sweep well over 100 thousand light-years from the galaxy's center.
At the lower right in this sharp,
telescopic galaxy portrait
the main spiral arm seems to
encounter a small, fuzzy elliptical
companion galaxy interacting with enormous NGC 289.
Of course spiky stars are in the foreground of the scene.
They lie within the Milky Way toward the southern constellation
Sculptor.
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.