|
Collection:
|
|
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
|
|
Title:
|
|
Spitzer Spies Spectacular Sombrero
Title
Spitzer Spies Spectacular Sombrero
Title
|
|
Original Caption Released with Image:
|
|
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
Original Caption Released with Image
|
|
Original Caption Released with Image:
|
|
Figure 1
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope set its infrared eyes on one of the most famous objects in the sky, Messier 104, also called the Sombrero galaxy. In this striking infrared picture, Spitzer sees an exciting new view of a galaxy that in visible light has been likened to a "sombrero," but here looks more like a "bulls-eye."
Recent observations using Spitzer's infrared array camera uncovered the bright, smooth ring of dust circling the galaxy, seen in red. In visible light, because this galaxy is seen nearly edge-on, only the near rim of dust can be clearly seen in silhouette. Spitzer's full view shows the disk is warped, which is often the result of a gravitational encounter with another galaxy, and clumpy areas spotted in the far edges of the ring indicate young star-forming regions.
Spitzer's infrared view of the starlight from this galaxy, seen in blue, can pierce through obscuring murky dust that dominates in visible light. As a result, the full extent of the bulge of stars and an otherwise hidden disk of stars within the dust ring are easily seen.
The Sombrero galaxy is located some 28 million light years away. Viewed from Earth, it is just six degrees south of its equatorial plane. Spitzer detected infrared emission not only from the ring, but from the center of the galaxy too, where there is a huge black hole, believed to be a billion times more massive than our Sun.
This picture is composed of four images taken at 3.6 (blue), 4.5 (green), 5.8 (orange), and 8.0 (red) microns. The contribution from starlight (measured at 3.6 microns) has been subtracted from the 5.8 and 8-micron images to enhance the visibility of the dust features.
In figure 1, the new picture of Messier 104 combines a recent infrared observation from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope with a well-known visible light image from the Hubble Space Telescope. In the Hubble Space Telescope's visible light image (lower left panel), only the near rim of dust can be clearly seen in silhouette. Recent observations using Spitzer's infrared array camera (lower right panel) uncovered the bright, smooth ring of dust circling the galaxy, seen in red. Spitzer's infrared view of the starlight, pierced through the obscuring dust, is easily seen, along with the bulge of stars and an otherwise hidden disk of stars within the dust ring.
Spitzer's full view shows the disk is warped, which is often the result of a gravitational encounter with another galaxy, and clumpy areas spotted in the far edges of the ring indicate young star-forming regions.
In figure 2, the infrared space telescope adds new detail to the galaxy's hallmark characteristics, such as the bright, bulbous core encircled by its thick dust lanes. Since infrared light can trace the dust, the dark, murky ring glows brilliantly in infrared. The clumpy dust ring also becomes transparent to starlight in infrared, allowing a clear view of the inner disk of stars within the dust ring.
Viewed from Earth, the
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
Figure 1
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope set its infrared eyes on one of the most famous objects in the sky, Messier 104, also called the Sombrero galaxy. In this striking infrared picture, Spitzer sees an exciting new view of a galaxy that in visible light has been likened to a "sombrero," but here looks more like a "bulls-eye."
Recent observations using Spitzer's infrared array camera uncovered the bright, smooth ring of dust circling the galaxy, seen in red. In visible light, because this galaxy is seen nearly edge-on, only the near rim of dust can be clearly seen in silhouette. Spitzer's full view shows the disk is warped, which is often the result of a gravitational encounter with another galaxy, and clumpy areas spotted in the far edges of the ring indicate young star-forming regions.
Spitzer's infrared view of the starlight from this galaxy, seen in blue, can pierce through obscuring murky dust that dominates in visible light. As a result, the full extent of the bulge of stars and an otherwise hidden disk of stars within the dust ring are easily seen.
The Sombrero galaxy is located some 28 million light years away. Viewed from Earth, it is just six degrees south of its equatorial plane. Spitzer detected infrared emission not only from the ring, but from the center of the galaxy too, where there is a huge black hole, believed to be a billion times more massive than our Sun.
This picture is composed of four images taken at 3.6 (blue), 4.5 (green), 5.8 (orange), and 8.0 (red) microns. The contribution from starlight (measured at 3.6 microns) has been subtracted from the 5.8 and 8-micron images to enhance the visibility of the dust features.
In figure 1, the new picture of Messier 104 combines a recent infrared observation from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope with a well-known visible light image from the Hubble Space Telescope. In the Hubble Space Telescope's visible light image (lower left panel), only the near rim of dust can be clearly seen in silhouette. Recent observations using Spitzer's infrared array camera (lower right panel) uncovered the bright, smooth ring of dust circling the galaxy, seen in red. Spitzer's infrared view of the starlight, pierced through the obscuring dust, is easily seen, along with the bulge of stars and an otherwise hidden disk of stars within the dust ring.
Spitzer's full view shows the disk is warped, which is often the result of a gravitational encounter with another galaxy, and clumpy areas spotted in the far edges of the ring indicate young star-forming regions.
In figure 2, the infrared space telescope adds new detail to the galaxy's hallmark characteristics, such as the bright, bulbous core encircled by its thick dust lanes. Since infrared light can trace the dust, the dark, murky ring glows brilliantly in infrared. The clumpy dust ring also becomes transparent to starlight in infrared, allowing a clear view of the inner disk of stars within the dust ring.
Viewed from Earth, the
Original Caption Released with Image
|
|
Original Caption Released with Image:
|
|
Sombrero galaxy is seen nearly edge-on, just six degrees away from its equatorial plane. This spiral galaxy is located 28 million light years away and is 50,000 light-years across. The Sombrero is one of the most massive objects at the southern edge of the Virgo cluster of galaxies, and is equal in size to 800 billion Suns. It hosts a rich system of nearly 2,000 globular clusters, 10 times as many as orbit our Milky Way galaxy. It is also interesting that the Sombrero galaxy may harbor a super-massive black hole, accounting for the electromagnetic glow emitted from its center.
The Hubble images were taken by the Hubble Heritage Team in May-June 2003 with the space telescope's advanced camera for surveys. Spitzer's images were taken in June 2004 and January 2005 as part of the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey, using the telescope's infrared array camera. The survey is one of the six Spitzer Legacy Science projects, designed to reveal how stars are formed in different types of galaxies, and to provide an atlas of galaxy images and spectra for future archival investigations. The Sombrero is one of 75 galaxies being observed by the survey team.
In this image, blue-cyan corresponds to the Hubble visible-light view, while the Spitzer 3.6-4.5 micron light is green and 8.0 micron light is red. Starlight in this Spitzer image (measured at 3.6 microns) has been subtracted from the 8-micron image to enhance the visibility of the dust features.
In figure 3, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has trained its sharp eye on one of the universe's most stately and photogenic galaxies, Messier 104. The galaxy's hallmark is a brilliant white, bulbous core encircled by the thick dust lanes comprising the spiral structure of the galaxy. As seen from Earth, the galaxy is tilted nearly edge-on. We view it from just six degrees north of its equatorial plane. This brilliant galaxy was named the Sombrero because in visible light it resembles a broad rimmed and high-topped Mexican hat.
M104 is just beyond the limit of the naked eye, but is easily seen through small telescopes. It lies at the southern edge of the rich Virgo cluster of galaxies. It is one of the most massive objects in that group, equivalent to 800 billion suns. The galaxy is 50,000 light-years across and is located 28 million light-years from Earth.
Hubble easily resolves M104's rich system of 2,000 globular clusters-believed to be 10 times as many as orbit our Milky Way galaxy. The ages of the clusters are similar to those of the clusters in the Milky Way, ranging from 10-13 billion years. A smaller disk is embedded in the bright core of M104, and is tilted relative to the large disk. X-ray emission hints that there is material falling into the compact core, where a black hole as massive as 1 billion suns resides.
The Hubble Heritage Team took these observations in May-June 2003 with the space telescope's advanced camera for surveys. Images were taken in three filters (red, green, and blue)
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
Sombrero galaxy is seen nearly edge-on, just six degrees away from its equatorial plane. This spiral galaxy is located 28 million light years away and is 50,000 light-years across. The Sombrero is one of the most massive objects at the southern edge of the Virgo cluster of galaxies, and is equal in size to 800 billion Suns. It hosts a rich system of nearly 2,000 globular clusters, 10 times as many as orbit our Milky Way galaxy. It is also interesting that the Sombrero galaxy may harbor a super-massive black hole, accounting for the electromagnetic glow emitted from its center.
The Hubble images were taken by the Hubble Heritage Team in May-June 2003 with the space telescope's advanced camera for surveys. Spitzer's images were taken in June 2004 and January 2005 as part of the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey, using the telescope's infrared array camera. The survey is one of the six Spitzer Legacy Science projects, designed to reveal how stars are formed in different types of galaxies, and to provide an atlas of galaxy images and spectra for future archival investigations. The Sombrero is one of 75 galaxies being observed by the survey team.
In this image, blue-cyan corresponds to the Hubble visible-light view, while the Spitzer 3.6-4.5 micron light is green and 8.0 micron light is red. Starlight in this Spitzer image (measured at 3.6 microns) has been subtracted from the 8-micron image to enhance the visibility of the dust features.
In figure 3, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has trained its sharp eye on one of the universe's most stately and photogenic galaxies, Messier 104. The galaxy's hallmark is a brilliant white, bulbous core encircled by the thick dust lanes comprising the spiral structure of the galaxy. As seen from Earth, the galaxy is tilted nearly edge-on. We view it from just six degrees north of its equatorial plane. This brilliant galaxy was named the Sombrero because in visible light it resembles a broad rimmed and high-topped Mexican hat.
M104 is just beyond the limit of the naked eye, but is easily seen through small telescopes. It lies at the southern edge of the rich Virgo cluster of galaxies. It is one of the most massive objects in that group, equivalent to 800 billion suns. The galaxy is 50,000 light-years across and is located 28 million light-years from Earth.
Hubble easily resolves M104's rich system of 2,000 globular clusters-believed to be 10 times as many as orbit our Milky Way galaxy. The ages of the clusters are similar to those of the clusters in the Milky Way, ranging from 10-13 billion years. A smaller disk is embedded in the bright core of M104, and is tilted relative to the large disk. X-ray emission hints that there is material falling into the compact core, where a black hole as massive as 1 billion suns resides.
The Hubble Heritage Team took these observations in May-June 2003 with the space telescope's advanced camera for surveys. Images were taken in three filters (red, green, and blue)
Original Caption Released with Image
|
|
Original Caption Released with Image:
|
|
to yield a natural-color image. The team took six pictures of the galaxy and then stitched them together to create the final composite image. This magnificent galaxy has a diameter that is nearly one-fifth the diameter of the full Moon.
The movie shifts from the well-known visible-light picture of Messier 104 taken by the Hubble Space Telescope to infrared views from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Messier (click on the browse image above for download option).
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
to yield a natural-color image. The team took six pictures of the galaxy and then stitched them together to create the final composite image. This magnificent galaxy has a diameter that is nearly one-fifth the diameter of the full Moon.
The movie shifts from the well-known visible-light picture of Messier 104 taken by the Hubble Space Telescope to infrared views from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Messier (click on the browse image above for download option).
Original Caption Released with Image
|
|
note:
|
|
Spitzer Spies Spectacular Sombrero [ http //photojournal.jpl.n asa.gov/animation/PI A07899 ]
Click on graphic to obtain download options
note
Spitzer Spies Spectacular Sombrero [ http //photojournal.jpl.n asa.gov/animation/PI A07899 ]
Click on graphic to obtain download options
note
|
|
Image Credit:
|
|
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Uni versity of Arizona;
Figures 1 and 2: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Uni versity of Arizona/STScI;
Figure 3 NASA/STScI/AURA;
Animation: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Uni versity of Arizona/STScI
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Uni versity of Arizona;
Figures 1 and 2: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Uni versity of Arizona/STScI;
Figure 3 NASA/STScI/AURA;
Animation: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Uni versity of Arizona/STScI
Image Credit
|
|
Produced By:
|
|
California Institute of Technology
Produced_By
California Institute of Technology
Produced By
|
|
Mission:
|
|
Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
Mission
Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
Mission
|
|
Mission:
|
|
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Mission
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Mission
|
|
Spacecraft:
|
|
Hubble Space Telescope
Spacecraft
Hubble Space Telescope
Spacecraft
|
|
Spacecraft:
|
|
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Spacecraft
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Spacecraft
|
|
Target Name:
|
|
Messier 104
Target_Name
Messier 104
Target Name
|
|
Instrument:
|
|
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
Instrument
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
Instrument
|
|
Instrument:
|
|
Visible Light
Instrument
Visible Light
Instrument
|
|
Product Size:
|
|
3000 samples x 1681 lines
Product_Size
3000 samples x 1681 lines
Product Size
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Atlas
facet_what
Atlas
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Moon
facet_what
Moon
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Earth
facet_what
Earth
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Visible Light
facet_what
Visible Light
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
SST
facet_what
SST
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
TRACE
facet_what
TRACE
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Virgo
facet_what
Virgo
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Aura
facet_what
Aura
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Advanced Camera for Surveys
facet_what
Advanced Camera for Surveys
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
facet_what
Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Arizona
facet_where
Arizona
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
California
facet_where
California
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Milky Way Galaxy
facet_where
Milky Way Galaxy
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
M104
facet_where
M104
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Sombrero Galaxy
facet_where
Sombrero Galaxy
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
January 2005
facet_when
January 2005
facet_when
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
June 2003
facet_when
June 2003
facet_when
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
June 2004
facet_when
June 2004
facet_when
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
2004
facet_when_year
2004
facet_when_year
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
2003
facet_when_year
2003
facet_when_year
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
2005
facet_when_year
2005
facet_when_year
|
|
Image #:
|
|
PIA07899
|
|
UID:
|
|
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA07899
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA07899
UID
|
|
orignial url:
|
orignial_url
orignial url
|
