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Collection:
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NASA Hubble Space Telescope Collection
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NASA Hubble Space Telescope Collection
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Title:
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A Wheel within a Wheel
Title
A Wheel within a Wheel
Title
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Object Name:
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Hoag's Object
Object_Name
Hoag's Object
Object Name
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General Information:
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What is Hubble Heritage?
A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site.
Back to top [ #top ]
General_Information
What is Hubble Heritage?
A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site.
Back to top [ #top ]
General Information
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Acknowledgement:
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Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement
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Acknowledgement:
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Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement
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Fast Facts:
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Technical facts about this news release: About the Object Object Name: Hoag's Object Object Description: Ring Galaxy Position (J2000): R.A. 15h 17m 15s Dec. 21° 35' 07" Constellation: Serpens Distance: 600 million light-years (180 million parsecs) Dimensions: The ring has a diameter of roughly 75,000 light-years (23,000 parsecs) to the inner edge and 120,000 light-years (37,000 parsecs) to the outer edge. About the Data Instrument: WFPC2 Exposure Date(s): July 9, 2001 Exposure Time: 3.6 hours Principal Astronomers: Hubble Heritage Team: K. Noll, H. Bond, T. Borders, C. Christian, L. Frattare, F. Hamilton, J. Lee, Z. Levay, E. Masiello, P. Royle (STScI), R. Lucas (STScI) About the Image Image Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Release Date: September 5, 2002 Filters: F450W (B), F606W (V), F814W (I) Orientation: Ring of Hot Blue Stars Pinwheels Around Yellow Nucleus of Hoag's Object Galaxy [ http://imgsrc.hubbl…]
Fast_Facts
Technical facts about this news release: About the Object Object Name: Hoag's Object Object Description: Ring Galaxy Position (J2000): R.A. 15h 17m 15s Dec. 21° 35' 07" Constellation: Serpens Distance: 600 million light-years (180 million parsecs) Dimensions: The ring has a diameter of roughly 75,000 light-years (23,000 parsecs) to the inner edge and 120,000 light-years (37,000 parsecs) to the outer edge. About the Data Instrument: WFPC2 Exposure Date(s): July 9, 2001 Exposure Time: 3.6 hours Principal Astronomers: Hubble Heritage Team: K. Noll, H. Bond, T. Borders, C. Christian, L. Frattare, F. Hamilton, J. Lee, Z. Levay, E. Masiello, P. Royle (STScI), R. Lucas (STScI) About the Image Image Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Release Date: September 5, 2002 Filters: F450W (B), F606W (V), F814W (I) Orientation: Ring of Hot Blue Stars Pinwheels Around Yellow Nucleus of Hoag's Object Galaxy [ http://imgsrc.hubbl…] Fast Facts
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*Image Type:*: Astronomical
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*Image Type:*: Astronomical
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*Release Date*:September 5, 2002 12:00 AM (EDT)
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*Release Date*:September 5, 2002 12:00 AM (EDT)
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*News Release Number:*: STScI-2002-21a
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*News Release Number:*: STScI-2002-21a
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*Title*:A Wheel within a Wheel
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*Title*:A Wheel within a Wheel
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*Description*:
A nearly perfect ring of hot, blue stars pinwheels about the yellow nucleus of an unusual galaxy known as Hoag's Object. This image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captures a face-on view of the galaxy's ring of stars, revealing more detail than any existing photo of this object. The image may help astronomers unravel clues on how such strange objects form.
The entire galaxy is about 120,000 light-years wide, which is slightly larger than our Milky Way Galaxy. The blue ring, which is dominated by clusters of young, massive stars, contrasts sharply with the yellow nucleus of mostly older stars. What appears to be a "gap" separating the two stellar populations may actually contain some star clusters that are almost too faint to see. Curiously, an object that bears an uncanny resemblance to Hoag's Object can be seen in the gap at the one o'clock position. The object is probably a background ring galaxy.
Ring-shaped galaxies can form in several different ways. One possible scenario is through a collision with another galaxy. Sometimes the second galaxy speeds through the first, leaving a "splash" of star formation. But in Hoag's Object there is no sign of the second galaxy, which leads to the suspicion that the blue ring of stars may be the shredded remains of a galaxy that passed nearby. Some astronomers estimate that the encounter occurred about 2 to 3 billion years ago.
This unusual galaxy was discovered in 1950 by astronomer Art Hoag. Hoag thought the smoke-ring-like object resembled a planetary nebula, the glowing remains of a Sun-like star. But he quickly discounted that possibility, suggesting that the mysterious object was most likely a galaxy. Observations in the 1970s confirmed this prediction, though many of the details of Hoag's galaxy remain a mystery.
The galaxy is 600 million light-years away in the constellation Serpens. The Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 took this image on July 9, 2001.
note
*Description*:
A nearly perfect ring of hot, blue stars pinwheels about the yellow nucleus of an unusual galaxy known as Hoag's Object. This image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captures a face-on view of the galaxy's ring of stars, revealing more detail than any existing photo of this object. The image may help astronomers unravel clues on how such strange objects form.
The entire galaxy is about 120,000 light-years wide, which is slightly larger than our Milky Way Galaxy. The blue ring, which is dominated by clusters of young, massive stars, contrasts sharply with the yellow nucleus of mostly older stars. What appears to be a "gap" separating the two stellar populations may actually contain some star clusters that are almost too faint to see. Curiously, an object that bears an uncanny resemblance to Hoag's Object can be seen in the gap at the one o'clock position. The object is probably a background ring galaxy.
Ring-shaped galaxies can form in several different ways. One possible scenario is through a collision with another galaxy. Sometimes the second galaxy speeds through the first, leaving a "splash" of star formation. But in Hoag's Object there is no sign of the second galaxy, which leads to the suspicion that the blue ring of stars may be the shredded remains of a galaxy that passed nearby. Some astronomers estimate that the encounter occurred about 2 to 3 billion years ago.
This unusual galaxy was discovered in 1950 by astronomer Art Hoag. Hoag thought the smoke-ring-like object resembled a planetary nebula, the glowing remains of a Sun-like star. But he quickly discounted that possibility, suggesting that the mysterious object was most likely a galaxy. Observations in the 1970s confirmed this prediction, though many of the details of Hoag's galaxy remain a mystery.
The galaxy is 600 million light-years away in the constellation Serpens. The Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 took this image on July 9, 2001.
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facet_what:
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Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Camera 2
facet_what
Camera 2
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facet_what:
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Serpens
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Serpens
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facet_what:
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COMPASS
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COMPASS
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facet_what:
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Aura
facet_what
Aura
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facet_what:
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Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
facet_what
Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
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facet_where:
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Milky Way Galaxy
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Milky Way Galaxy
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Hamilton
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Hamilton
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facet_where:
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Hoag's object
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Hoag's object
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Washington, D.C.
facet_where
Washington, D.C.
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facet_when:
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1950
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1950
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facet_when:
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July 9, 2001
facet_when
July 9, 2001
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September 5, 2002
facet_when
September 5, 2002
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facet_when_year:
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2002
facet_when_year
2002
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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2001
facet_when_year
2001
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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1950
facet_when_year
1950
facet_when_year
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UID:
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SPD-HUBBLE-STScI-200 2-21a
UID
SPD-HUBBLE-STScI-200 2-21a
UID
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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Release Date:
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September 5, 2002 12:00 AM (EDT)
Release_Date
September 5, 2002 12:00 AM (EDT)
Release Date
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