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Collection:
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NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Magnificant Details in a Dusty Spiral Galaxy
Title
Magnificant Details in a Dusty Spiral Galaxy
Title
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Full Description:
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In 1995, the majestic spiral galaxy NGC 4414 was imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope as part of the HST Key Project on the Extragalactic Distance Scale. An international team of astronomers, led by Dr. Wendy Freedman of the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, observed this galaxy on 13 different occasions over the course of two months. Images were obtained with Hubble's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) through three different color filters. Based on their discovery and careful brightness measurements of variable stars in NGC 4414, the Key Project astronomers were able to make an accurate determination of the distance to the galaxy. The resulting distance to NGC 4414, 19.1 megaparsecs or about 60 million light-years, along with similarly determined distances to other nearby galaxies, contributes to astronomers' overall knowledge of the rate of expansion of the universe. In 1999, the Hubble Heritage Team revisited NGC 4414 and completed its portrait by observing the other half with the same filters as were used in 1995. The end result is a stunning full-color look at the entire dusty spiral galaxy. The new Hubble picture shows that the central regions of this galaxy, as is typical of most spirals, contain primarily older, yellow and red stars. The outer spiral arms are considerably bluer due to ongoing formation of young, blue stars, the brightest of which can be seen individually at the high resolution provided by the Hubble camera. The arms are also very rich in clouds of interstellar dust, seen as dark patches and streaks silhouetted against the starlight.
Full_Description
In 1995, the majestic spiral galaxy NGC 4414 was imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope as part of the HST Key Project on the Extragalactic Distance Scale. An international team of astronomers, led by Dr. Wendy Freedman of the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, observed this galaxy on 13 different occasions over the course of two months. Images were obtained with Hubble's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) through three different color filters. Based on their discovery and careful brightness measurements of variable stars in NGC 4414, the Key Project astronomers were able to make an accurate determination of the distance to the galaxy. The resulting distance to NGC 4414, 19.1 megaparsecs or about 60 million light-years, along with similarly determined distances to other nearby galaxies, contributes to astronomers' overall knowledge of the rate of expansion of the universe. In 1999, the Hubble Heritage Team revisited NGC 4414 and completed its portrait by observing the other half with the same filters as were used in 1995. The end result is a stunning full-color look at the entire dusty spiral galaxy. The new Hubble picture shows that the central regions of this galaxy, as is typical of most spirals, contain primarily older, yellow and red stars. The outer spiral arms are considerably bluer due to ongoing formation of young, blue stars, the brightest of which can be seen individually at the high resolution provided by the Hubble camera. The arms are also very rich in clouds of interstellar dust, seen as dark patches and streaks silhouetted against the starlight.
Full Description
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Date:
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06/03/1999
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NASA Center:
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Hubble Space Telescope Center
NASA_Center
Hubble Space Telescope Center
NASA Center
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Subject Category:
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Deep Space Studies
Subject_Category
Deep Space Studies
Subject Category
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Subject Category:
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Hubble
Subject_Category
Hubble
Subject Category
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Keywords:
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Space
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Keywords:
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Field
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Keywords:
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Camera
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Keywords:
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Telescope
Keywords
Telescope
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Wide
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Keywords:
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Planetary
Keywords
Planetary
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Hubble
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Keywords:
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HST
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Keywords:
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WFPC
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Keywords:
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NGC
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Keywords:
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Galaxy
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Keywords:
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4414
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Audience:
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General Public
Audience
General Public
Audience
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facet_what:
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Camera 2
facet_what
Camera 2
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Aura
facet_what
Aura
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Wide Field Planetary Camera 2
facet_what
Wide Field Planetary Camera 2
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
facet_what
Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Washington
facet_where
Washington
facet_where
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facet_where:
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NGC 4414
facet_where
NGC 4414
facet_where
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facet_when:
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1995
facet_when
1995
facet_when
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facet_when:
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1999
facet_when
1999
facet_when
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facet_when:
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06-03-1999
facet_when
06-03-1999
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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1995
facet_when_year
1995
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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1999
facet_when_year
1999
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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PR99-25
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original_url:
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original_url
original_url
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UID:
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SPD-GRIN-GPN-2000-00 0933
UID
SPD-GRIN-GPN-2000-00 0933
UID
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Center:
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HSTI
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Center Number:
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PR99-25
Center_Number
PR99-25
Center Number
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GRIN DataBase Number:
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GPN-2000-000933
GRIN_DataBase_Number
GPN-2000-000933
GRIN DataBase Number
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Creator-Photographer:
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NASA, The Hubble Heritage Team, STScI, AURA
Creator-Photographer
NASA, The Hubble Heritage Team, STScI, AURA
Creator-Photographer
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Original Source:
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DIGITAL
Original_Source
DIGITAL
Original Source
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