Ultraviolet Extensions

Galex_glx2008-01r_img03_1024

galex_glx2008-01r_img03 April 16th, 2008

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MPIA

This ultraviolet image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the Southern Pinwheel galaxy, also know as Messier 83 or M83. It is located 15 million light-years away in the southern constellation Hydra.

Ultraviolet light traces young populations of stars; in this image, young stars can be seen way beyond the main spiral disk of M83 up to 140,000 light-years from its center. Could life exist around one of these far-flung stars? Scientists say it's unlikely because the outlying regions of a galaxy are lacking in the metals required for planets to form.

The image was taken at scheduled intervals between March 15 and May 20, 2007. It is one of the longest-exposure, or deepest, images ever taken of a nearby galaxy in ultraviolet light. Near-ultraviolet light (or longer-wavelength ultraviolet light) is colored yellow, and far-ultraviolet light is blue.

Provider: Galaxy Evolution Explorer

Image Source: /image/galex/glx2008-01r_img03

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

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Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
M83 Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
Galex_glx2008-01r_img03_128
 

Position Details

Position
RA = 13h 36m 47.6s
DEC = -29° 52’ 43.3”
Orientation
North is up
Field of View
1.6 x 1.6 degrees
Constellation
Hydra

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue GALEX (FUV) Ultraviolet (Far-UV) 150.0 nm
Yellow GALEX (NUV) Ultraviolet (Near-UV) 230.0 nm
Spectrum_base
Blue
Yellow
Galex_glx2008-01r_img03_1280
×
ID
glx2008-01r_img03
Subject Category
Subject Name
M83, Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MPIA
Release Date
2008-04-16
Lightyears
Redshift
Reference Url
/image/galex/glx2008-01r_img03
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Distance Notes
Facility
GALEX, GALEX
Instrument
FUV, NUV
Color Assignment
Blue, Yellow
Band
Ultraviolet, Ultraviolet
Bandpass
Far-UV, Near-UV
Central Wavelength
150, 230
Start Time
Integration Time
9273.55
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
204.198137, -29.87869
Reference Dimension
3840, 3840
Reference Pixel
1920.5, 1920.5
Scale
-0.000416666666666667, 0.000416666666666667
Rotation
0.
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.galex.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
Rights
Public Domain
Publisher
Galaxy Evolution Explorer
Publisher ID
galex
Resource ID
Resource URL
/image/galex/glx2008-01r_img03
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2023-02-24T08:37:41Z
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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There is no distance meta data in this image.

 

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