Media Information
 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Title:
NGC 253: Dusty Island Universe
Explanation:
Shiny NGC 253 [ http://seds.lpl.ari…], sometimes called the Silver Dollar Galaxy, is one of the brightest spiral galaxies visible - and also one of the dustiest. First swept up [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] in 1783 by mathematician and astronomer Caroline Herschel [ http://www.scottlan…herschel.htm ], the dusty island universe lies a mere 10 million light-years away in the southern constellation [ http://www.astronom…GreatGalaxyGrab.asp ] Sculptor. About 70 thousand light-years across, NGC 253 is the largest member of the Sculptor Group of Galaxies [ http://seds.lpl.ari…sclgr.html ], the nearest to our own Local Group of Galaxies [ http://seds.lpl.ari…local.html ]. In addition to its spiral dust lanes, striking tendrils of dust seem to be rising [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] from the galactic disk in this gorgeous view [ http://ccd.cosmotog…]. The high dust content accompanies frantic star formation, giving [ http://www.arxiv.or…] NGC 253 the designation of a starburst galaxy. NGC 253 is also known to be a strong source of high-energy [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] x-rays and gamma rays, likely due to massive black holes near the galaxy's center.
Credit and Copyright:
R. Jay GaBany [ http://www.cosmotog…] (Cosmotography.com [ http://www.cosmotog…])
facet_when:
1783
facet_where:
Arizona
facet_where:
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_what:
Sculptor
facet_what:
New General Catalogue (NGC)
facet_when_year:
1783
original url:
http://antwrp.gsfc.…
UID:
SPD-APOD-ap060421

NGC 253: Dusty Island Universe
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