Galactic Train Wreck

Galex_glx2011-02r_img02_1024

galex_glx2011-02r_img02 May 25th, 2011

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Lanz (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)

This image shows an example of colliding galaxies from a new photo atlas of galactic "train wrecks". The new image combine observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, which observes infrared light, and NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) spacecraft, which observes ultraviolet light. By analyzing information from different parts of the light spectrum, scientists can learn much more than from a single wavelength alone, because different components of a galaxy are highlighted.

This image shows NGC 470 (top) and NGC 474 (bottom). In this representative-color image, far-ultraviolet light from GALEX is blue, 3.6-micron light from Spitzer is cyan, 4.5-micron light from Spitzer is green, and red shows light at 5.8 and 8 microns from Spitzer.

Provider: Galaxy Evolution Explorer

Image Source: http://www.galex.caltech.edu/media/glx2011-02r_img01.html

Curator: Galaxy Evolution Explorer, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

Download Options

  • Full Size Image (1060 x 1060)

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
NGC 470 NGC 474 Arp 227
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Type > Interacting
Galaxy > Type > Spiral
Galaxy > Type > Lenticular

Distance

Universescale3
130,000,000 light years
Galex_glx2011-02r_img02_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 1h 19m 57.0s
DEC = 3° 24’ 44.5”
Orientation
North is 64.9° CW
Field of View
10.6 x 10.6 arcminutes
Constellation
Pisces

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue GALEX (FUV) Ultraviolet (FUV) 150.0 nm
Cyan Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.6 µm
Green Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.5 µm
Red Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 5.8 µm
Red Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 8.0 µm
Spectrum_base
Blue
Cyan
Green
Red
Red
Galex_glx2011-02r_img02_1280
×
ID
glx2011-02r_img02
Subject Category
C.5.1.7.   C.5.1.1.   C.5.1.3.  
Subject Name
NGC 470, NGC 474, Arp 227
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Lanz (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Release Date
2011-05-25
Lightyears
130,000,000
Redshift
0.007919
Reference Url
http://www.galex.caltech.edu/media/glx2011-02r_img01.html
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Distance quoted for NGC 470
Facility
GALEX, Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer
Instrument
FUV, IRAC, IRAC, IRAC, IRAC
Color Assignment
Blue, Cyan, Green, Red, Red
Band
Ultraviolet, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
FUV, Near-IR, Near-IR, Mid-IR, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
150, 3600, 4500, 5800, 8000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
19.9874586, 3.4123526
Reference Dimension
1060.0, 1060.0
Reference Pixel
531.0, 531.0
Scale
0.000166701, 0.00016670061
Rotation
-64.89
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
WCS retrieved using CXCs PinpointWCS
Creator (Curator)
Galaxy Evolution Explorer
URL
http://www.galex.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
Public Domain
Publisher
Galaxy Evolution Explorer
Publisher ID
galex
Resource ID
Resource URL
/image/galex/glx2011-02r_img02
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2019-02-27T22:21:17Z
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
130,000,000 light years

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