Hubble Snaps Beautiful Image of NGC 1309
The Hubble team has published an astonishing new image taken by the Hubble Spatial Telescope of NASA / ESA of the Galaxy Spiral NGC 1309.
This hubble shows NGC 1309, a spiral galaxy at around 100 million light years in the Constellation of Eridanus. The color image consists of observations of the advanced Hubble camera for surveys (ACS) and the large field camera 3 (WFC3) and in the ultraviolet, infrared and optical parts of the spectrum. Four filters were used to sample various wavelengths. The color results from the allocation of different shades to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter. Image credit: NASA / ESA / HUBBLE / L. GALBANY / S. JHA / K. NOLL / A. RIESS.
NGC 1309 is located about 100 million light years in the Constellation of Eridanus.
IRAS otherwise known 03197-1534, LEDA 12626 or TC 470, this galaxy has a diameter of 75,000 light years.
NGC 1309 was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on October 3, 1785.
The Galaxy is the brightest member of the NGC 1309 group, a trio of galaxies which also includes MCG -03-09-027 and UGCA 71.
“The superb Hubble image encompasses the bluish stars of NGC 1309, the dark brown gas clouds and the pearly white center, as well as hundreds of distant background galaxies,” said Hubble astronomers.
“Almost all spots, sequence and drop of light in this image are an individual galaxy.”
“The only exception to the extragalactic whole is a star, which can be identified near the top of the frame by its diffraction tips.”
“He is positively neighboring, a few thousand light years in the Milky Way Galaxy.”
A large part of the scientific interest of NGC 1309 comes from two supernovae: SN 2002FK in 2002 and SN 2012z in 2012.
“SN 2002FK was a perfect example of an IA type supernova, which occurs when the core of a white dwarf explodes,” said astronomers.
“SN 2012z, on the other hand, was a bit of a renegade. It was classified as an IAX type supernova: while its spectrum looked like that of an IA type supernova, the explosion was not as bright as expected.”
“Hubble’s observations have shown that in this case, the supernova has not completely destroyed the white dwarf, leaving behind a” zombie star “which shone even more than it did before the explosion.”
“The observations of Hubble de NGC 1309 taken in several years also made this the first time that the white dwarf off a supernova was identified in the images taken before the explosion.”
