Hubble Spies Galaxy with Lots to See
Although it can appear as another spiral galaxy among billions in the universe, this image of the NASA / ESA Hubble space telescope reveals a galaxy with a lot to study. The Galaxy, NGC 7456, is located more than 51 million light years in the Gruus constellation (the crane).
This Hubble image reveals fine details in the uneven spiral arms of the galaxy, followed by tufts of dark and obscured dust. Brilliant pink flowers are rich gas tanks where new stars are formed, illuminating the clouds around them and forcing the gas to emit this revealing red light. The Hubble observation program that collected this data has focused on the stellar activity of the galaxy, the monitoring of new stars, hydrogen clouds and star clusters to learn how galaxy has evolved over time.
Hubble, with its capacity to capture visible, ultraviolet and a certain infrared light, is not the only observatory focused on NGC 7456. The X-rays Image Satellite of ESA several times, discovering many sources of ultra-light X rays of so-called ultra-surgunest. These small compact objects emit terribly powerful X -rays, much more than what researchers would expect, given their size. Astronomers always try to identify the powers of these extreme objects, and NGC 7456 contributes some additional examples.
The region around the supermassive black hole of the galaxy is also spectacularly brilliant and energetic, making NGC 7456 an active galaxy. Whether looking at its heart or periphery, in visible light or X -rays, this galaxy has something interesting to study for astronomers!
Contact with the media::
Claire Andreol (Claire.andreoli@nasa.gov))
Nasa Goddard Space Flight Center,, Greenery belt, MD
