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Collection:
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NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Anatomy of a Triangulum
Title
Anatomy of a Triangulum
Title
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Original Caption Released with Image:
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M33, the Triangulum Galaxy, is a perennial favorite of amateur and professional astronomers alike, due to its orientation and relative proximity to us. It is the second nearest spiral galaxy to our Milky Way (after M31, the Andromeda Galaxy) and a prominent member of the "local group" of galaxies. From our Milky Way perspective, M33's stellar disk appears at moderate inclination, allowing us to see its internal structure clearly, whereas M31 is oriented nearly edge-on.
The Galaxy Evolution Explorer imaged M33 as it appears in ultraviolet wavelengths. Ultraviolet imaging primarily traces emission from the atmospheres of hot stars, most of which formed in the past few hundred million years. These data provide a reference point as to the internal composition of a typical star-forming galaxy and will help scientists understand the origin of ultraviolet emission in more distant galaxies.
These observations of M33 allow astronomers to compare the population of young, massive stars with other components of the galaxy, such as interstellar dust and gas, on the scale of individual giant molecular clouds. The clouds contain the raw material from which stars form. This presents direct insight into the star formation process as it occurs throughout an entire spiral galaxy and constitutes a unique resource for broader studies of galaxy evolution.
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
M33, the Triangulum Galaxy, is a perennial favorite of amateur and professional astronomers alike, due to its orientation and relative proximity to us. It is the second nearest spiral galaxy to our Milky Way (after M31, the Andromeda Galaxy) and a prominent member of the "local group" of galaxies. From our Milky Way perspective, M33's stellar disk appears at moderate inclination, allowing us to see its internal structure clearly, whereas M31 is oriented nearly edge-on.
The Galaxy Evolution Explorer imaged M33 as it appears in ultraviolet wavelengths. Ultraviolet imaging primarily traces emission from the atmospheres of hot stars, most of which formed in the past few hundred million years. These data provide a reference point as to the internal composition of a typical star-forming galaxy and will help scientists understand the origin of ultraviolet emission in more distant galaxies.
These observations of M33 allow astronomers to compare the population of young, massive stars with other components of the galaxy, such as interstellar dust and gas, on the scale of individual giant molecular clouds. The clouds contain the raw material from which stars form. This presents direct insight into the star formation process as it occurs throughout an entire spiral galaxy and constitutes a unique resource for broader studies of galaxy evolution.
Original Caption Released with Image
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Image Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Image Credit
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Produced By:
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California Institute of Technology
Produced_By
California Institute of Technology
Produced By
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Mission:
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Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)
Mission
Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)
Mission
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Spacecraft:
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GALEX Orbiter
Spacecraft
GALEX Orbiter
Spacecraft
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Target Name:
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M33
Target_Name
M33
Target Name
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Instrument:
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GALEX Telescope
Instrument
GALEX Telescope
Instrument
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Product Size:
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2904 samples x 2904 lines
Product_Size
2904 samples x 2904 lines
Product Size
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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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Explorer
facet_what
Explorer
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Galaxy Evolution Explorer
facet_what
Galaxy Evolution Explorer
facet_what
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facet_what:
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GALEX
facet_what
GALEX
facet_what
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facet_what:
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GALEX Orbiter
facet_what
GALEX Orbiter
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Triangulum
facet_what
Triangulum
facet_what
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facet_what:
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GALEX Telescope
facet_what
GALEX Telescope
facet_what
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facet_where:
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California
facet_where
California
facet_where
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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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M33
facet_where
M33
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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Triangulum Galaxy
facet_where
Triangulum Galaxy
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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Image #:
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PIA03033
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UID:
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SPD-PHOTJ-PIA03033
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA03033
UID
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orignial url:
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orignial_url
orignial url
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