A Dwarf Galaxy's Star Bar and Dusty Wing

Nhsc_nhsc2012-001b_1024

nhsc_nhsc2012-001b January 10th, 2012

Credit: ESA/NASA/JPL-Caltech/STScI

This new image shows the Small Magellanic Cloud galaxy in infrared light from the Herschel Space Observatory a European Space Agency-led mission with important NASA contributions, and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are the two biggest satellite galaxies of our home galaxy, the Milky Way, though they are still considered dwarf galaxies compared to the big spiral of the Milky Way.

In combined data from Herschel and Spitzer, the irregular distribution of dust in the Small Magellanic Cloud becomes clear. A stream of dust extends to the left in this image, known as the galaxy's "wing," and a bar of star formation appears on the right.

The colors in this image indicate temperatures in the dust that permeates the Cloud. Colder regions show where star formation is at its earliest stages or is shut off, while warm expanses point to new stars heating surrounding dust. The coolest areas and objects appear in red, corresponding to infrared light taken up by Herschel's Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver at 250 microns, or millionths of a meter. Herschel's Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer fills out the mid-temperature bands, shown here in green, at 100 and 160 microns. The warmest spots appear in blue, courtesy of 24- and 70-micron data from Spitzer.

Provider: Herschel Space Observatory

Image Source: https://www.herschel.caltech.edu/image/nhsc2012-001b

Curator: NASA Herschel Science Center, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/imagepolicy/

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
SMC Small Magellanic Cloud NGC 292
Subject - Milky Way
Galaxy > Type > Barred
Galaxy > Size > Dwarf
Nebula > Type > Star Formation

Distance

Universescale2
197,000 light years
Nhsc_nhsc2012-001b_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 1h 28m 46.7s
DEC = -72° 35’ 7.2”
Orientation
North is 12.0° CW
Field of View
8.3 x 4.2 degrees
Constellation
Hydrus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Spitzer (MIPS) Infrared (Mid-IR) 24.0 µm
Cyan Spitzer (MIPS) Infrared (Far-IR) 70.0 µm
Green Herschel (PACS) Infrared (Far-IR) 100.0 µm
Green Herschel (PACS) Infrared (Far-IR) 160.0 µm
Red Herschel (SPIRE) Infrared (Far-IR) 250.0 µm
Spectrum_ir1
Blue
Cyan
Green
Green
Red
Nhsc_nhsc2012-001b_1280
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ID
nhsc2012-001b
Subject Category
B.5.1.2.   B.5.2.2.   B.4.1.2.  
Subject Name
SMC, Small Magellanic Cloud, NGC 292
Credits
ESA/NASA/JPL-Caltech/STScI
Release Date
2012-01-10
Lightyears
197,000
Redshift
Reference Url
https://www.herschel.caltech.edu/image/nhsc2012-001b
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Spitzer, Spitzer, Herschel, Herschel, Herschel
Instrument
MIPS, MIPS, PACS, PACS, SPIRE
Color Assignment
Blue, Cyan, Green, Green, Red
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Mid-IR, Far-IR, Far-IR, Far-IR, Far-IR
Central Wavelength
24000, 70000, 100000, 160000, 250000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
Reference Value
2.219452277935E+01, -7.258534463794E+01
Reference Dimension
10000, 5000
Reference Pixel
5028, 3454
Scale
-8.33333333333300e-04, 8.33333333333300e-04
Rotation
-12
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
NASA Herschel Science Center
URL
http://www.herschel.caltech.edu/
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/imagepolicy/
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
nhsc
Resource ID
Metadata Date
2018-06-21T00:18:46Z
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
197,000 light years

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