Galactic Tranquility – Spectacular Spiral Galaxy Captured by Hubble Space Telescope

By ESA/HubbleJanuary 9, 2022

Galaxy NGC 976

Galaxy NGC 976 imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Jones, A. Riess et al.

The lazily winding spiral arms of the spectacular galaxy NGC 976 fill the frame of this image from the “>NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. This spiral galaxy lies around 150 million light-years from the Milky Way in the constellation Aries. Despite its tranquil appearance, NGC 976 has played host to one of the most violent astronomical phenomena known — a supernova explosion. These cataclysmicly violent events take place at the end of the lives of massive stars, and can outshine entire galaxies for a short period. While supernovae mark the deaths of massive stars, they are also responsible for the creation of heavy elements that are incorporated into later generations of stars and planets.

Supernovae are also a useful aid for astronomers who measure the distances to faraway galaxies. The amount of energy thrown out into space by supernova explosions is very uniform, allowing astronomers to estimate their distances from how bright they appear to be when viewed from Earth. This image — which was created using data from Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 — comes from a large collection of Hubble observations of nearby galaxies which host supernovae as well as a pulsating class of stars known as Cepheid variables. Both Cepheids and supernovae are used to measure astronomical distances, and galaxies containing both objects provide useful natural laboratories where the two methods can be calibrated against one another.

Note: This article have been indexed to our site. We do not claim legitimacy, ownership or copyright of any of the content above. To see the article at original source Click Here

Related Posts
Study finds black holes made from light are impossible — challenging Einstein's theory of relativity thumbnail

Study finds black holes made from light are impossible — challenging Einstein’s theory of relativity

Black holes form when massive objects collapse under their own gravity. Einstein's theory of relativity suggests that such an object can form from large enough concentrations of light itself — but new research pokes a hole in this prediction. (Image credit: Vikiverse / Pixabay) New research suggests that extreme objects known as "kugelblitze" — black
Read More
Are electric toothbrushes better than manual toothbrushes? thumbnail

Are electric toothbrushes better than manual toothbrushes?

Dentists and their patients have long asked the question: are electric toothbrushes better than manual toothbrushes? While the answer will come down to personal taste, budget and people’s access to the latest dental technology, science has come up with a clear answer to the quandary.But, as with many answers, there are some exceptions and circumstances…
Read More
Do High-End GPUs Waste Power When You’re Not Gaming? thumbnail

Do High-End GPUs Waste Power When You’re Not Gaming?

FeelGoodLuck/Shutterstock.comYou bought a beefy GPU to game—or perhaps create AI-generated artwork—and when it’s running full bore, it uses a lot of energy. But what about for boring day-to-day stuff? Is it wasteful? Idle Power Is Nearly Equivalent Across GPUs Whenever new GPUs are released, there is always chatter about how much power they consume, and
Read More
Will the Russian Invasion Accelerate Peak Oil? thumbnail

Will the Russian Invasion Accelerate Peak Oil?

It was 1973 when a war between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led Saudi Arabia and other oil producers to impose an embargo on crude shipments to the United States. Oil prices soared, and the way the world consumed energy changed. France built a fleet of nuclear power plants. Japan did, too; it…
Read More
Index Of News