|
|
Fire Within the Antennae Gal
…
| Title |
Fire Within the Antennae Galaxies |
| Description |
This false-color image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals hidden populations of newborn stars at the heart of the colliding "Antennae" galaxies. These two galaxies, known individually as NGC 4038 and 4039, are located around 68 million light-years away and have been merging together for about the last 800 million years. The latest Spitzer observations provide a snapshot of the tremendous burst of star formation triggered in the process of this collision, particularly at the site where the two galaxies overlap. The main image is a false-color composite of infrared data from Spitzer and visible-light data from Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, Ariz. Visible light from stars in the galaxies (blue and green) is shown together with infrared light from warm dust clouds heated by newborn stars (red). The two nuclei, or centers, of the merging galaxies show up as yellow-white areas, one above the other. The brightest clouds of forming stars lie in the overlap region between and left of the nuclei. The upper right panel shows the Spitzer image by itself. This picture was taken by the infrared array camera and is a combination of infrared light ranging from 3.6 microns (shown in blue) to 8.0 microns (shown in red). The dust emission (red) is by far the strongest feature in this image. Starlight was systematically subtracted from the longer wavelength data (red) to enhance dust features. The lower right panel shows the true-color, visible-light image by itself. Here, we find a strikingly different view, with the bright star-forming features seen in the Spitzer image buried within dark clouds of dust. Throughout the sky, astronomers have identified many of these so-called "interacting" galaxies, whose spiral discs have been stretched and distorted by their mutual gravity as they pass close to one another. The distances involved are so large that the interactions evolve on timescales comparable to geologic changes on Earth. Observations of such galaxies, combined with computer models of these collisions, show that the galaxies often become forever bound to one another, eventually merging into a single, spheroidal-shaped galaxy. In the Spitzer image, wavelengths of 3.6 microns are represented in blue, 4.5 microns in green and 5.8-8.0 microns in red. In the composite image, wavelengths of .44 microns are represented in blue, .70 microns in green and 8.0 microns in red. The Spitzer image was taken on Dec. 24, 2003. |
|
Fire Within the Antennae Gal
…
| Title |
Fire Within the Antennae Galaxies |
| Description |
This false-color image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals hidden populations of newborn stars at the heart of the colliding "Antennae" galaxies. These two galaxies, known individually as NGC 4038 and 4039, are located around 68 million light-years away and have been merging together for about the last 800 million years. The latest Spitzer observations provide a snapshot of the tremendous burst of star formation triggered in the process of this collision, particularly at the site where the two galaxies overlap. The main image is a false-color composite of infrared data from Spitzer and visible-light data from Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, Ariz. Visible light from stars in the galaxies (blue and green) is shown together with infrared light from warm dust clouds heated by newborn stars (red). The two nuclei, or centers, of the merging galaxies show up as yellow-white areas, one above the other. The brightest clouds of forming stars lie in the overlap region between and left of the nuclei. The upper right panel shows the Spitzer image by itself. This picture was taken by the infrared array camera and is a combination of infrared light ranging from 3.6 microns (shown in blue) to 8.0 microns (shown in red). The dust emission (red) is by far the strongest feature in this image. Starlight was systematically subtracted from the longer wavelength data (red) to enhance dust features. The lower right panel shows the true-color, visible-light image by itself. Here, we find a strikingly different view, with the bright star-forming features seen in the Spitzer image buried within dark clouds of dust. Throughout the sky, astronomers have identified many of these so-called "interacting" galaxies, whose spiral discs have been stretched and distorted by their mutual gravity as they pass close to one another. The distances involved are so large that the interactions evolve on timescales comparable to geologic changes on Earth. Observations of such galaxies, combined with computer models of these collisions, show that the galaxies often become forever bound to one another, eventually merging into a single, spheroidal-shaped galaxy. In the Spitzer image, wavelengths of 3.6 microns are represented in blue, 4.5 microns in green and 5.8-8.0 microns in red. In the composite image, wavelengths of .44 microns are represented in blue, .70 microns in green and 8.0 microns in red. The Spitzer image was taken on Dec. 24, 2003. |
|
Fire Within the Antennae Gal
…
| Title |
Fire Within the Antennae Galaxies |
| Description |
This false-color image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals hidden populations of newborn stars at the heart of the colliding "Antennae" galaxies. These two galaxies, known individually as NGC 4038 and 4039, are located around 68 million light-years away and have been merging together for about the last 800 million years. The latest Spitzer observations provide a snapshot of the tremendous burst of star formation triggered in the process of this collision, particularly at the site where the two galaxies overlap. The main image is a false-color composite of infrared data from Spitzer and visible-light data from Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, Ariz. Visible light from stars in the galaxies (blue and green) is shown together with infrared light from warm dust clouds heated by newborn stars (red). The two nuclei, or centers, of the merging galaxies show up as yellow-white areas, one above the other. The brightest clouds of forming stars lie in the overlap region between and left of the nuclei. The upper right panel shows the Spitzer image by itself. This picture was taken by the infrared array camera and is a combination of infrared light ranging from 3.6 microns (shown in blue) to 8.0 microns (shown in red). The dust emission (red) is by far the strongest feature in this image. Starlight was systematically subtracted from the longer wavelength data (red) to enhance dust features. The lower right panel shows the true-color, visible-light image by itself. Here, we find a strikingly different view, with the bright star-forming features seen in the Spitzer image buried within dark clouds of dust. Throughout the sky, astronomers have identified many of these so-called "interacting" galaxies, whose spiral discs have been stretched and distorted by their mutual gravity as they pass close to one another. The distances involved are so large that the interactions evolve on timescales comparable to geologic changes on Earth. Observations of such galaxies, combined with computer models of these collisions, show that the galaxies often become forever bound to one another, eventually merging into a single, spheroidal-shaped galaxy. In the Spitzer image, wavelengths of 3.6 microns are represented in blue, 4.5 microns in green and 5.8-8.0 microns in red. In the composite image, wavelengths of .44 microns are represented in blue, .70 microns in green and 8.0 microns in red. The Spitzer image was taken on Dec. 24, 2003. |
|
Fire Within the Antennae Gal
…
| Title |
Fire Within the Antennae Galaxies |
| Description |
This false-color image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals hidden populations of newborn stars at the heart of the colliding "Antennae" galaxies. These two galaxies, known individually as NGC 4038 and 4039, are located around 68 million light-years away and have been merging together for about the last 800 million years. The latest Spitzer observations provide a snapshot of the tremendous burst of star formation triggered in the process of this collision, particularly at the site where the two galaxies overlap. The main image is a false-color composite of infrared data from Spitzer and visible-light data from Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, Ariz. Visible light from stars in the galaxies (blue and green) is shown together with infrared light from warm dust clouds heated by newborn stars (red). The two nuclei, or centers, of the merging galaxies show up as yellow-white areas, one above the other. The brightest clouds of forming stars lie in the overlap region between and left of the nuclei. The upper right panel shows the Spitzer image by itself. This picture was taken by the infrared array camera and is a combination of infrared light ranging from 3.6 microns (shown in blue) to 8.0 microns (shown in red). The dust emission (red) is by far the strongest feature in this image. Starlight was systematically subtracted from the longer wavelength data (red) to enhance dust features. The lower right panel shows the true-color, visible-light image by itself. Here, we find a strikingly different view, with the bright star-forming features seen in the Spitzer image buried within dark clouds of dust. Throughout the sky, astronomers have identified many of these so-called "interacting" galaxies, whose spiral discs have been stretched and distorted by their mutual gravity as they pass close to one another. The distances involved are so large that the interactions evolve on timescales comparable to geologic changes on Earth. Observations of such galaxies, combined with computer models of these collisions, show that the galaxies often become forever bound to one another, eventually merging into a single, spheroidal-shaped galaxy. In the Spitzer image, wavelengths of 3.6 microns are represented in blue, 4.5 microns in green and 5.8-8.0 microns in red. In the composite image, wavelengths of .44 microns are represented in blue, .70 microns in green and 8.0 microns in red. The Spitzer image was taken on Dec. 24, 2003. |
|
Hubble Reveals Stellar Firew
…
| Title |
Hubble Reveals Stellar Fireworks Accompanying Galaxy Collisions |
| General Information |
What is a Space Science Update? Major Hubble discoveries on NASA television ... Astronomers explain their Hubble discoveries at a press conference, called a Space Science Update (SSU), broadcast on NASA television. The SSU includes a question and answer session with members of the media. The Hubble telescope has uncovered over 1,000 bright, young star clusters bursting to life in a brief, intense, brilliant "fireworks show" at the heart of a pair of colliding galaxies. The picture on the left provides a sweeping view of the two galaxies, called the Antennae. The green shape pinpoints Hubble's view. Hubble's close-up view [right] provides a detailed look at the "fireworks" at the center of this wreck. The respective cores of the twin galaxies are the orange blobs, left and right of center, crisscrossed by filaments of dark dust. A wide band of chaotic dust stretches between the cores of the two galaxies. The sweeping spiral-like patterns, traced by bright blue star clusters, are the result of a firestorm of star birth that was triggered by the collision. Read more: * Release Text [ http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1997/34/text/ ] |
|
Super Star Clusters in the A
…
| Title |
Super Star Clusters in the Antennae Galaxies |
| General Information |
What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. This new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the Antennae galaxies is the sharpest yet of this merging pair of galaxies. During the course of the collision, billions of stars will be formed. The brightest and most compact of these star birth regions are called super star clusters. The new image allows astronomers to better distinguish between the stars and super star clusters created in the collision of two spiral galaxies. |
|
Super Star Clusters in the A
…
| Title |
Super Star Clusters in the Antennae Galaxies |
| General Information |
What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. This new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the Antennae galaxies is the sharpest yet of this merging pair of galaxies. During the course of the collision, billions of stars will be formed. The brightest and most compact of these star birth regions are called super star clusters. The new image allows astronomers to better distinguish between the stars and super star clusters created in the collision of two spiral galaxies. |
|
Super Star Clusters in the A
…
| Title |
Super Star Clusters in the Antennae Galaxies |
| General Information |
What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. This new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the Antennae galaxies is the sharpest yet of this merging pair of galaxies. During the course of the collision, billions of stars will be formed. The brightest and most compact of these star birth regions are called super star clusters. The new image allows astronomers to better distinguish between the stars and super star clusters created in the collision of two spiral galaxies. |
|
X-Rays From Antennae Galaxie
…
| Title |
X-Rays From Antennae Galaxies |
| Explanation |
A bevy [ http://www.ojohaven.com/collectives/ ] of black holes [ http://chandra.harvard.edu/xray_sources/black_holes.html ] and neutron stars [ http://astroe.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/objects/ binaries/neutron_star_structure.html ] shine as bright, point-like sources against bubbles [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991130.html ] of million degree gas in this false-color x-ray image [ http://chandra.harvard.edu/press/00_releases/ press_081600.html ] from the orbiting Chandra Observatory [ http://chandra.harvard.edu/ index.html ]. The striking picture shows the central regions of two galaxies, NGC 4038 and NGC 4039, locked in a titanic collision some 60 million light-years distant in the constellation Corvus [ http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations/ Corvus.html ]. In visible light images [ http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/97/34/addtlim.html ], long, luminous, tendril-like structures emanating from the wreckage lend the pair their popular moniker, the Antennae Galaxies [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap971022.html ]. Galactic collisions are now thought to be fairly common, but when they happen individual stars rarely collide. Instead gas and dust clouds merge and compress, triggering furious bursts of massive star formation [ http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/97/34/b.html ] with thousands of resulting supernovae. The exploding stars litter the scene with bubbles [ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/ nph-bib_query?bibcode=1999A%26A...350..230K ] of shocked hot gas and collapsed stellar cores [ http://observe.ivv.nasa.gov/nasa/space/stellardeath/ stellardeath_opening.html ]. Transfixed by this cosmic accident [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap981219.html ] astronomers watch and are beginning to appreciate [ http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/97/34/af3.html ] the collision-driven evolution of galaxies [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980216.html ], not unlike our own [ http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/97/34/af1.html ]. |
|
Antennae Galaxies in Near-In
…
| Title |
Antennae Galaxies in Near-Infrared |
| Explanation |
What happens when galaxies collide [ http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/galaxies/ colliding.html ]? One of the best studied examples [ http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~jhibbard/n4038/n4038.html ] of the jumble of star clusters, gas, and dust clouds produced by such a cosmic train wreck [ http://www.npaci.edu/online/v4.9/ galaxies2.html ] is the interacting galaxy pair NGC 4038 / NGC 4039, the Antennae Galaxies [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap971022.html ], only sixty million light-years away. In visible light images, long, luminous tendrils of material seem to reach out from the galactic wreckage [ http://www.cita.utoronto.ca/~dubinski/ antennae/antennae.html ], lending the entwined pair an insect-like appearance. But this penetrating view from the new Wide-field InfraRed Camera (WIRC [ http://astrosun.tn.cornell.edu/faculty/eiken/Projects/ WIRCstuff/wirc_performance.htm ]) attached to the Palomar Observatory's [ http://www.astro.caltech.edu/observatories/palomar/ overview.html ] 200 inch Hale telescope shows, in false-color, details of some otherwise hidden features. The large central nuclei of the two original galaxies dominate the near-infrared scene speckled with other bright sources which are themselves giant, newly formed star clusters [ http://astron.berkeley.edu/~agilbert/sscs/ antennae/ ]. Remarkably the northern (topmost) nucleus, obscured in optical images, is also revealed here to have a barred, mini-spiral structure reminiscent [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001004.html ] of many "single" spiral galaxies. |
|
X-Rays From Antennae Galaxie
…
| Title |
X-Rays From Antennae Galaxies |
| Explanation |
A bevy [ http://www.ojohaven.com/collectives/ ] of black holes [ http://chandra.harvard.edu/xray_sources/ blackholes_stellar.html ] and neutron stars [ http://astroe.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/objects/ binaries/neutron_star_structure.html ] shine as bright, point-like sources against bubbles [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991130.html ] of million degree gas in this false-color x-ray image [ http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2004/antennae/ ] from the orbiting Chandra Observatory [ http://chandra.harvard.edu/ index.html ]. The striking picture spans about 80 thousand light-years across the central regions of two galaxies, NGC 4038 and NGC 4039, locked in a titanic collision some 60 million light-years away in the constellation Corvus [ http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2004/antennae/ animations.html ]. In visible light images [ http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/ 1997/34/image/p ], long, luminous, tendril-like structures emanating from the wreckage lend the pair their popular moniker, the Antennae Galaxies [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020411.html ]. Galactic collisions are now thought to be fairly common [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030812.html ], but when they happen individual stars rarely collide. Instead gas and dust clouds merge and compress, triggering furious bursts of massive star formation [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040202.html ] with thousands of resulting supernovae. The exploding stars litter the scene with bubbles of shocked gas enriched in heavy elements [ http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0401241 ], and collapsed stellar cores. Transfixed by this cosmic accident [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap981219.html ] astronomers watch and are beginning to appreciate the collision-driven evolution [ http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2004/antennae/ animations.html ] of galaxies, not unlike our own. |
|
Fire within the Antennae Gal
…
PIA06854
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
| Title |
Fire within the Antennae Galaxies |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This false-color image composite from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals hidden populations of newborn stars at the heart of the colliding "Antennae" galaxies. These two galaxies, known individually as NGC 4038 and 4039, are located around 68 million light-years away and have been merging together for about the last 800 million years. The latest Spitzer observations provide a snapshot of the tremendous burst of star formation triggered in the process of this collision, particularly at the site where the two galaxies overlap. The image is a composite of infrared data from Spitzer and visible-light data from Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, Ariz. Visible light from stars in the galaxies (blue and green) is shown together with infrared light from warm dust clouds heated by newborn stars (red). The two nuclei, or centers, of the merging galaxies show up as yellow-white areas, one above the other. The brightest clouds of forming stars lie in the overlap region between and left of the nuclei. Throughout the sky, astronomers have identified many of these so-called "interacting" galaxies, whose spiral discs have been stretched and distorted by their mutual gravity as they pass close to one another. The distances involved are so large that the interactions evolve on timescales comparable to geologic changes on Earth. Observations of such galaxies, combined with computer models of these collisions, show that the galaxies often become forever bound to one another, eventually merging into a single, spheroidal-shaped galaxy. Wavelengths of 0.44 microns are represented in blue, .70 microns in green and 8.0 microns in red. This image was taken on Dec. 24, 2003. |
|
|
