Galactic Wheel of Life Shines in Infrared

Spitzer_sig14-027_1024

spitzer_sig14-027 October 22nd, 2014

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The ghostly structures highlighting the peculiar patterns of orbiting stars in the center of the galaxy NGC 1292 stand out vividly in this specially-processed image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. By making detailed observations of the galaxy in infrared light, astronomers can tease out the hidden details of the strange dynamics in this barred galaxy.

The galaxy is about 12 billion years old and is located 33 million light years away in the Eridanus constellation. It is known as a barred galaxy because a central bar of stars (which looks like a blue "S" in this view) dominates its center.

When galaxies are young and gas-rich, stellar bars drive gas toward the center, feeding star formation. Over time, as the star-making fuel runs out, the central regions become quiescent and star-formation activity shifts to the outskirts of a galaxy. There, spiral density waves and resonances induced by the central bar help convert gas to stars. The outer ring is one such resonance location, where gas has been trapped and ignited into a star-forming frenzy.

This image has been processed to suppress the smooth glow of starlight that fills the center of this galaxy, enhancing our view of the peculiar structure in this region. These spokes and clumps are essentially stellar traffic jams, formed by the convoluted orbits of the billions of stars bunching up as they move through the central bar. Close examination of the outer ring reveals that it is actually composed of two distinct arcs that partially blend into one another.

Infrared light at wavelengths of 3.4 and 4.5 microns are rendered in blue and green, combining into a single cyan tone showing the distribution of stars.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/5978-sig14-027-Galactic-Wheel-of-Life-Shines-in-Infrared

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy

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Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
NGC 1291
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Type > Spiral
Galaxy > Type > Barred

Distance

Universescale2
33,000,000 light years
Spitzer_sig14-027_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 3h 17m 18.2s
DEC = -41° 6’ 29.3”
Orientation
North is 32.5° CCW
Field of View
14.9 x 14.9 arcminutes
Constellation
Eridanus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.6 µm
Green Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.5 µm
Image enhanced to show barred structures in inner galaxy.
Spectrum_base
Blue
Green
Spitzer_sig14-027_1280
×
ID
sig14-027
Subject Category
C.5.1.1   C.5.1.2  
Subject Name
NGC 1291
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Release Date
2014-10-22
Lightyears
33,000,000
Redshift
0.002799
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/5978-sig14-027-Galactic-Wheel-of-Life-Shines-in-Infrared
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Spitzer, Spitzer
Instrument
IRAC, IRAC
Color Assignment
Blue, Green
Band
Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Near-IR, Near-IR
Central Wavelength
3600, 4500
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
I
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
Reference Value
49.3259969, -41.1081286
Reference Dimension
1188.0, 1188.0
Reference Pixel
595.0, 595.0
Scale
-0.000208488, 0.00020848785
Rotation
32.52
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
sig14-027.tif
Metadata Date
2014-10-27
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
33,000,000 light years

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