[ad_1]
The US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released a stunning image of a dusty spiral galaxy called NGC 4414. The image was taken by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope in 1995 as part of the HST Key Project on the Extragalactic Distance Scale.
The Hubble Space Telescope, launched in 1990, fundamentally transformed our understanding of the universe, from determining the atmospheric composition of planets around other stars to the discovery of dark energy.
Speaking of the dusty spiral galaxy, NASA Hubble says, “Based on careful brightness measurements of variable stars (stars that fluctuate in brightness) in NGC 4414, astronomers have determined that this galaxy is 60 million light-years away.”
It says, “This information has helped scientists understand more about the rate at which our universe is expanding, and has given us more information about the distances and sizes of many cosmic objects, and even the age of the universe itself.”
Talking about the image shared by NSA Hubble, NGC 4414 is a spiral galaxy notable for its distinctive stellar composition in its various regions. In its central regions, there is an abundance of yellow and red stars, a feature often associated with older stellar populations found in spiral galaxies.
In the outer regions, NGC 4414 exhibits a blue hue. NASA says this blue hue indicates the presence of young, hot stars, indicating ongoing star formation in these regions. The image shared by NASA shows NGC 4414 as a giant spiral galaxy with a bright yellow core and huge spiral arms adorned with dark brown dust and clusters of stars.
According to NASA Hubble, the galaxy’s size exceeded the capabilities of the WFPC2 detectors, so only half of NGC 4414 was visible in the dataset collected by lead project astronomers in 1995. However, in 1999, the Hubble Heritage Team re-observed NGC 4414 and filled in the missing portion of the image by observing the other half using the same filters used in 1995.
In a single day, 36 million Indians chose us as India’s undisputed platform for General Election results. Check latest updates Here!
Get all the business news, market news, breaking news events and latest news updates on Live Mint. Download Mint News App to get daily market updates.
more less
Published: June 12, 2024, 07:16 AM IST
[ad_2]
