Hubble Space Telescope Captures New Image of NGC 1792
NGC 1792 is a stormy and very active spiral galaxy located in the southern constellation Columba.
This Hubble image shows the active spiral galaxy NGC 1792. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / D. Thilker / F. Belfiore / J. Lee / PHANGS-HST Team.
NGC 1792 resides approximately 36.4 million light years from Earth in the southern constellation Columba, almost on the border with the constellation Caelum.
Also known as AGC 24019 or LEDA 16709, this galaxy was discovered by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop on October 4, 1826.
The appearance of NGC 1792 is quite chaotic, due to the uneven distribution of dust throughout its disk.
The galaxy is very rich in neutral hydrogen and is rapidly forming new stars.
“NGC 1792 is just as fascinating to astronomers as its chaotic appearance might suggest,” Hubble astronomers wrote in a statement.
“Classified as an explosion galaxy, it is a star-forming powerhouse, with spiral arms rich in star-forming regions.”
“In fact, it is surprisingly bright for its mass,” they noted.
“The galaxy is close to a larger neighbor, NGC 1808, and the strong gravitational interaction between the two is thought to be what boosted gas reserves in this galaxy.”
“The result is a torrent of star formation, concentrated on the side where gravity has a stronger effect.”
“It is an ideal target for astronomers seeking to understand the complex interactions between gases, star clusters and supernovae in galaxies.”
In 2020, astronomers used Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) instrument to observe NGC 1792.
The new image includes additional WFC3 data collected throughout 2025, providing a deeper view of the tumultuous astrophysical activity taking place in the galaxy.
“Red lights in the arms mark so-called H-alpha emission from dense clouds of hydrogen molecules,” the astronomers said.
“Stars form inside these clouds and shine powerfully thanks to ultraviolet radiation.”
“They ionize the gas around them, causing the gas to emit a very particular red wavelength – a telltale sign of the presence of new stars.”
