|
Collection:
|
|
NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
|
|
Title:
|
|
Three Faces of Andromeda
Title
Three Faces of Andromeda
Title
|
|
Description:
|
|
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured stunning infrared views of the famous Andromeda galaxy to reveal insights that were only hinted at in visible light.
Spitzer's 24-micron mosaic (top panel) is the sharpest image ever taken of the dust in another spiral galaxy. This is possible because Andromeda is a close neighbor to the Milky Way at a mere 2.5 million light-years away.
The Spitzer multiband imaging photometer's 24-micron detector recorded 11,000 separate snapshots to create this new comprehensive picture. Asymmetrical features are seen in the prominent ring of star formation. The ring appears to be split into two pieces, forming the hole to the lower right. These features may have been caused by interactions with satellite galaxies around Andromeda as they plunge through its disk.
Spitzer also reveals delicate tracings of spiral arms within this ring that reach into the very center of the galaxy. One sees a scattering of stars within Andromeda, but only select stars that are wrapped in envelopes of dust light up at infrared wavelengths.
This is a dramatic contrast to the traditional view at visible wavelengths (lower left panel), which shows the starlight instead of the dust. The center of the galaxy in this view is dominated by a large bulge that overwhelms the inner spirals seen in dust. The dust lanes are faintly visible in places, but only where they can be seen in silhouette against background stars.
The multi-wavelength view of Andromeda (lower right panel) combines images taken at 24 microns (blue), 70 microns (green), and 160 microns (red). Using all three bands from the multiband imaging photometer allows astronomers to measure the temperature of the dust by its color. The warmest dust is brightest at 24 microns while the coolest is most evident at 160 microns. The blue/white areas have the hottest dust, as seen in the bulge and in the star-forming areas along the arms. The cooler dust floating further out in the ring and arms are in the redder regions.
The data were taken on August 25, 2004, the one-year anniversary of the launch of the space telescope. The observations have been transformed into this remarkable gift from Spitzer -- the most detailed infrared image of the spectacular galaxy to date.
Description
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured stunning infrared views of the famous Andromeda galaxy to reveal insights that were only hinted at in visible light.
Spitzer's 24-micron mosaic (top panel) is the sharpest image ever taken of the dust in another spiral galaxy. This is possible because Andromeda is a close neighbor to the Milky Way at a mere 2.5 million light-years away.
The Spitzer multiband imaging photometer's 24-micron detector recorded 11,000 separate snapshots to create this new comprehensive picture. Asymmetrical features are seen in the prominent ring of star formation. The ring appears to be split into two pieces, forming the hole to the lower right. These features may have been caused by interactions with satellite galaxies around Andromeda as they plunge through its disk.
Spitzer also reveals delicate tracings of spiral arms within this ring that reach into the very center of the galaxy. One sees a scattering of stars within Andromeda, but only select stars that are wrapped in envelopes of dust light up at infrared wavelengths.
This is a dramatic contrast to the traditional view at visible wavelengths (lower left panel), which shows the starlight instead of the dust. The center of the galaxy in this view is dominated by a large bulge that overwhelms the inner spirals seen in dust. The dust lanes are faintly visible in places, but only where they can be seen in silhouette against background stars.
The multi-wavelength view of Andromeda (lower right panel) combines images taken at 24 microns (blue), 70 microns (green), and 160 microns (red). Using all three bands from the multiband imaging photometer allows astronomers to measure the temperature of the dust by its color. The warmest dust is brightest at 24 microns while the coolest is most evident at 160 microns. The blue/white areas have the hottest dust, as seen in the bulge and in the star-forming areas along the arms. The cooler dust floating further out in the ring and arms are in the redder regions.
The data were taken on August 25, 2004, the one-year anniversary of the launch of the space telescope. The observations have been transformed into this remarkable gift from Spitzer -- the most detailed infrared image of the spectacular galaxy to date.
Description
|
|
Release Date:
|
|
2005/10/13
Release_Date
2005/10/13
Release Date
|
|
Press Release:
|
Press_Release
Press Release
|
|
Release Credit:
|
|
NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (University of Arizona)
Release_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (University of Arizona)
Release Credit
|
|
Image Credit:
|
|
NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (University of Arizona)
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (University of Arizona)
Image Credit
|
|
Object name:
|
|
Andromeda Galaxy
Object_name
Andromeda Galaxy
Object name
|
|
Object name:
|
|
Messier 31
Object_name
Messier 31
Object name
|
|
Object name:
|
|
M31
Object_name
M31
Object name
|
|
Object type:
|
|
Spiral galaxy
Object_type
Spiral galaxy
Object type
|
|
Position (J2000):
|
|
*RA: *00h42m44.30s *Dec: *41d16m9.00s
Position_(J2000)
*RA: *00h42m44.30s *Dec: *41d16m9.00s
Position (J2000)
|
|
Distance:
|
|
780,000 pc; 2.5 million light-years
Distance
780,000 pc; 2.5 million light-years
Distance
|
|
Constellation:
|
|
Andromeda
Constellation
Andromeda
Constellation
|
|
Wavelength:
|
|
24 microns (pseudocolor); also 24 microns (blue), 70 microns (green), and 160 microns (red)
Wavelength
24 microns (pseudocolor); also 24 microns (blue), 70 microns (green), and 160 microns (red)
Wavelength
|
|
Image scale:
|
|
2.8 x 0.8 degrees
Image_scale
2.8 x 0.8 degrees
Image scale
|
|
Observers:
|
|
Karl D. Gordon (University of Arizona)
Jeremy Bailin (Swinburne University of Technology, Australia)
Charles W. Engelbracht (University of Arizona)
George H. Rieke (University of Arizona)
Karl A. Misselt (University of Arizona)
William B. Latter (SSC/Caltech)
E. T. Young (University of Arizona)
Matthew L. N. Ashby (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
Pauline Barmby (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
Brad K. Gibson (Swinburne University of Technology, Australia)
Dean C. Hines (University of Colorado)
Joannah Hinz (University of Arizona)
Oliver Krause (University of Arizona)
Deborah A. Levine (SSC/Caltech)
Francine R. Marleau (SSC/Caltech)
Alberto Noriega-Crespo (SSC/Caltech)
Susan Stolovy (SSC/Caltech)
David A. Thilker (Johns Hopkins University)
M. W. Werner (JPL)
Observers
Karl D. Gordon (University of Arizona)
Jeremy Bailin (Swinburne University of Technology, Australia)
Charles W. Engelbracht (University of Arizona)
George H. Rieke (University of Arizona)
Karl A. Misselt (University of Arizona)
William B. Latter (SSC/Caltech)
E. T. Young (University of Arizona)
Matthew L. N. Ashby (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
Pauline Barmby (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
Brad K. Gibson (Swinburne University of Technology, Australia)
Dean C. Hines (University of Colorado)
Joannah Hinz (University of Arizona)
Oliver Krause (University of Arizona)
Deborah A. Levine (SSC/Caltech)
Francine R. Marleau (SSC/Caltech)
Alberto Noriega-Crespo (SSC/Caltech)
Susan Stolovy (SSC/Caltech)
David A. Thilker (Johns Hopkins University)
M. W. Werner (JPL)
Observers
|
|
Instrument:
|
|
MIPS
Instrument
MIPS
Instrument
|
|
Exposure Date:
|
|
2004 August 25
Exposure_Date
2004 August 25
Exposure Date
|
|
Exposure Time:
|
|
100 sec/pixel (24 microns), 40 sec/pixel (70 microns), 9 sec/pixel (160 microns)
Exposure_Time
100 sec/pixel (24 microns), 40 sec/pixel (70 microns), 9 sec/pixel (160 microns)
Exposure Time
|
|
Orientation:
|
|
North is 53 deg CCW from up
Orientation
North is 53 deg CCW from up
Orientation
|
|
Related links:
|
Related_links
Related links
|
|
note:
|
*MIPS 24-micron image* Screen-Resolution (450x132): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2005-20a1_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (8193x2410): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (University of Arizona)
note
*MIPS 24-micron image* Screen-Resolution (450x132): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2005-20a1_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (8193x2410): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (University of Arizona) note
|
|
note:
|
*MIPS three-channel image* Screen-Resolution (450x132): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2005-20a2_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (2071x609): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (University of Arizona)
note
*MIPS three-channel image* Screen-Resolution (450x132): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2005-20a2_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (2071x609): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (University of Arizona) note
|
|
note:
|
*Visible-light comparison image from NOAO* Screen-Resolution (450x132): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2005-20a3_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (8193x2410): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NOAO/AURA/NSF
note
*Visible-light comparison image from NOAO* Screen-Resolution (450x132): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2005-20a3_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (8193x2410): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NOAO/AURA/NSF note
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Visible Light
facet_what
Visible Light
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
MIPS
facet_what
MIPS
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Andromeda
facet_what
Andromeda
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Aura
facet_what
Aura
facet_what
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Arizona
facet_where
Arizona
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Andromeda Galaxy
facet_where
Andromeda Galaxy
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Australia
facet_where
Australia
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
M31
facet_where
M31
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Colorado
facet_where
Colorado
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Washington, D.C.
facet_where
Washington, D.C.
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Stennis Space Center (SSC)
facet_where
Stennis Space Center (SSC)
facet_where
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
August 25, 2004
facet_when
August 25, 2004
facet_when
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
2004
facet_when_year
2004
facet_when_year
|
|
Image #:
|
|
ssc2005-20a
Image_#
ssc2005-20a
Image #
|
|
original url:
|
original_url
original url
|
|
UID:
|
|
SPD-SPITZ-ssc2005-20 a
UID
SPD-SPITZ-ssc2005-20 a
UID
|
