Forensic Evidence of a Galactic Collision

Spitzer_sig06-025_1024

spitzer_sig06-025 October 18th, 2006

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/D. Block (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA)

Astronomers have new evidence that the Andromeda spiral galaxy was involved in a violent head-on collision with the neighboring dwarf galaxy Messier 32 (M32) more than 200 million years ago. Infrared photographs taken with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope revealed a never-before-seen dust ring deep within the Andromeda galaxy. When combined with a previously observed outer ring, the presence of both dust rings suggests that M32 plunged through the disk of Andromeda along Andromeda's polar axis approximately 210 million years ago.

This image was obtained by the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) at a wavelength of 8.0 microns.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2220-sig06-025-Forensic-Evidence-of-a-Galactic-Collision

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
Collage
Object Name
Andromeda Galaxy Messier 31 M31 NGC 224
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Type > Spiral

Distance

Universescale2
2,500,000 light years
Spitzer_sig06-025_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 0h 43m 31.8s
DEC = 41° 26’ 21.9”
Orientation
North is 49.8° CCW
Field of View
2.4 x 0.8 degrees
Constellation
Andromeda

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Pseudocolor Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 8.0 µm
Observations identical for both panels of collage
Spectrum_base
Pseudocolor
Spitzer_sig06-025_1280
×
ID
sig06-025
Subject Category
C.5.1.1.  
Subject Name
Andromeda Galaxy, Messier 31, M31, NGC 224
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/D. Block (Anglo American Cosmic Dust Lab, SA)
Release Date
2006-10-18
Lightyears
2,500,000
Redshift
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2220-sig06-025-Forensic-Evidence-of-a-Galactic-Collision
Type
Collage
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Distance taken from Fast Facts.
Facility
Spitzer
Instrument
IRAC
Color Assignment
Pseudocolor
Band
Infrared
Bandpass
Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
8000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
O
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
10.882683342296053, 41.439415112159445
Reference Dimension
3685, 1205
Reference Pixel
1842.5, 602.5
Scale
-0.00064806472363583458, 0.00064806472363583458
Rotation
49.8104269629
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Position
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Spitzer Space Telescope
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
sig06-025.tif
Metadata Date
2012-02-07
Metadata Version
1.1
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
2,500,000 light years

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