Bright Spiral Galaxy M81 in Ultraviolet from Galex
Title
Bright Spiral Galaxy M81 in Ultraviolet from Galex
Title
Explanation:
Where are the hot stars in M81, one of the closest major spiral galaxies? To help find out, astronomers took a deep image in ultraviolet light [ http://science.hq.n…] of the sprawling spiral with the Earth-orbiting Galex telescope [ http://www.galex.ca…]. Hot stars emit more ultraviolet than cool stars, and are frequently associated with young open clusters [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] of stars and energetic star forming regions [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Magnificent spiral galaxy [ http://csep10.phys.…] M81, slightly smaller in size to our own Milky Way Galaxy [ http://cassfos02.uc…], shows off its young stars in its winding spiral arms in the above image [ http://www.nasa.gov…]. Less than 100 million years old, the young stars are blue in the above false-color Galex image [ http://www.nasa.gov…] and seen to be well separated from the older yellowish stars of the galactic core. Visible above M81 [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] is a satellite galaxy dubbed Holmberg IX [ http://ftp.seds.org…]. Studying the unexpectedly bright ultraviolet glow of this small irregular galaxy [ http://en.wikipedia…] may help astronomers understand how the many satellites [ http://www.astro.uu…] of our own Milky Way Galaxy developed. M81 [ http://seds.lpl.ari…], visible through a small telescope, spans about 70,000 light years [ http://chandra.harv…] and lies about 12 million light years away toward the constellation [ http://www.astro.wi…] of the Great Bear (Ursa Major [ http://www.astro.wi…]).
Explanation
Where are the hot stars in M81, one of the closest major spiral galaxies? To help find out, astronomers took a deep image in ultraviolet light [ http://science.hq.n…] of the sprawling spiral with the Earth-orbiting Galex telescope [ http://www.galex.ca…]. Hot stars emit more ultraviolet than cool stars, and are frequently associated with young open clusters [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] of stars and energetic star forming regions [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Magnificent spiral galaxy [ http://csep10.phys.…] M81, slightly smaller in size to our own Milky Way Galaxy [ http://cassfos02.uc…], shows off its young stars in its winding spiral arms in the above image [ http://www.nasa.gov…]. Less than 100 million years old, the young stars are blue in the above false-color Galex image [ http://www.nasa.gov…] and seen to be well separated from the older yellowish stars of the galactic core. Visible above M81 [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] is a satellite galaxy dubbed Holmberg IX [ http://ftp.seds.org…]. Studying the unexpectedly bright ultraviolet glow of this small irregular galaxy [ http://en.wikipedia…] may help astronomers understand how the many satellites [ http://www.astro.uu…] of our own Milky Way Galaxy developed. M81 [ http://seds.lpl.ari…], visible through a small telescope, spans about 70,000 light years [ http://chandra.harv…] and lies about 12 million light years away toward the constellation [ http://www.astro.wi…] of the Great Bear (Ursa Major [ http://www.astro.wi…]).
