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Collection:
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NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Forensic Evidence of a Galactic Collision
Title
Forensic Evidence of a Galactic Collision
Title
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Description:
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Astronomers have new evidence that the Andromeda spiral galaxy was involved in a violent head-on collision with the neighboring dwarf galaxy Messier 32 (M32) more than 200 million years ago. Infrared photographs taken with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope revealed a never-before-seen dust ring deep within the Andromeda galaxy. When combined with a previously observed outer ring, the presence of both dust rings suggests that M32 plunged through the disk of Andromeda along Andromeda's polar axis approximately 210 million years ago.
This image was obtained by the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) at a wavelength of 8.0 microns.
Description
Astronomers have new evidence that the Andromeda spiral galaxy was involved in a violent head-on collision with the neighboring dwarf galaxy Messier 32 (M32) more than 200 million years ago. Infrared photographs taken with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope revealed a never-before-seen dust ring deep within the Andromeda galaxy. When combined with a previously observed outer ring, the presence of both dust rings suggests that M32 plunged through the disk of Andromeda along Andromeda's polar axis approximately 210 million years ago.
This image was obtained by the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) at a wavelength of 8.0 microns.
Description
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Release Date:
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2006/10/18
Release_Date
2006/10/18
Release Date
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Release Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/D. Block (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA)
Release_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/D. Block (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA)
Release Credit
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Image Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/D. Block (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA)
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/D. Block (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA)
Image Credit
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Object name:
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Andromeda Galaxy
Object_name
Andromeda Galaxy
Object name
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Object name:
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Messier 31
Object_name
Messier 31
Object name
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Object name:
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M31
Object_name
M31
Object name
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Object type:
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Spiral galaxy
Object_type
Spiral galaxy
Object type
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Position (J2000):
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*RA: *00h42m44.30s *Dec: *41d16m9.00s
Position_(J2000)
*RA: *00h42m44.30s *Dec: *41d16m9.00s
Position (J2000)
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Distance:
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780,000 pc; 2.5 million light-years
Distance
780,000 pc; 2.5 million light-years
Distance
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Constellation:
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Andromeda
Constellation
Andromeda
Constellation
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Wavelength:
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8 microns
Wavelength
8 microns
Wavelength
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Image scale:
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2.8 x 0.8 degrees
Image_scale
2.8 x 0.8 degrees
Image scale
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Observers:
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David L. Block (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA)
Frederic Bournaud (CEA, France)
Francoise Combes (Observatoire de Paris, France)
Robert Groess (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA)
Pauline Barmby (CFA, USA)
Matthew L. N. Ashby (CFA, USA)
Giovanni Fazio (CFA, USA)
Mike Pahre (CFA, USA)
Steve Willner (CFA, USA)
Observers
David L. Block (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA)
Frederic Bournaud (CEA, France)
Francoise Combes (Observatoire de Paris, France)
Robert Groess (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA)
Pauline Barmby (CFA, USA)
Matthew L. N. Ashby (CFA, USA)
Giovanni Fazio (CFA, USA)
Mike Pahre (CFA, USA)
Steve Willner (CFA, USA)
Observers
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Instrument:
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IRAC
Instrument
IRAC
Instrument
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Orientation:
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North is 53 deg CCW from up
Orientation
North is 53 deg CCW from up
Orientation
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Related links:
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Related_links
Related links
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note:
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*Image without packaging* Screen-Resolution (450x147): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…sig06-025a_small.jpg ] High-Resolution (3685x1205): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/D. Block (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA)
note
*Image without packaging* Screen-Resolution (450x147): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…sig06-025a_small.jpg ] High-Resolution (3685x1205): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/D. Block (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA) note
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facet_what:
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Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Andromeda
facet_what
Andromeda
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Polar
facet_what
Polar
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Andromeda Galaxy
facet_where
Andromeda Galaxy
facet_where
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facet_where:
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M31
facet_where
M31
facet_where
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facet_where:
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dwarf galaxy
facet_where
dwarf galaxy
facet_where
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facet_where:
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M32
facet_where
M32
facet_where
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facet_where:
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France
facet_where
France
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Paris
facet_where
Paris
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Washington, D.C.
facet_where
Washington, D.C.
facet_where
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Image #:
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sig06-025
Image_#
sig06-025
Image #
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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UID:
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SPD-SPITZ-sig06-025
UID
SPD-SPITZ-sig06-025
UID
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