M33: Infrared View of a Close Neighbor

Spitzer_ssc2009-08b1_1024

spitzer_ssc2009-08b1 April 3rd, 2009

Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

One of our closest galactic neighbors shows its awesome beauty in this new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. M33, also known as the Triangulum Galaxy, is a member of what's known as our Local Group of galaxies. Along with our own Milky Way, this group travels together in the universe, as they are gravitationally bound. In fact, M33 is one of the few galaxies that is moving toward the Milky Way despite the fact that space itself is expanding, causing most galaxies in the universe to grow farther and farther apart.

When viewed with Spitzer's infrared eyes, this elegant spiral galaxy sparkles with color and detail. Stars appear as glistening blue gems (many of which are actually foreground stars in our own galaxy), while dust in the spiral disk of the galaxy glows pink and red. But not only is this new image beautiful, it also shows M33 to be surprising large - bigger than its visible-light appearance would suggest. With its ability to detect cold, dark dust, Spitzer can see emission from cooler material well beyond the visible range of M33's disk. Exactly how this cold material moved outward from the galaxy is still a mystery, but winds from giant stars or supernovas may be responsible.

M33 is located about 2.9 million light-years away in the constellation Triangulum. This composite image was taken by Spitzer's infrared array camera. The color blue indicates infrared light of 3.6 microns, green shows 4.5-micron light, and red 8.0 microns.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2015-ssc2009-08b1-M33-Infrared-View-of-a-Close-Neighbor

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

View Options

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Triangulum Galaxy Messier 33 M33 NGC 598
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Type > Spiral
Galaxy > Activity > Normal

Distance

Universescale2
2,900,000 light years
Spitzer_ssc2009-08b1_128
 

Position Details

Position (FK5)
RA = 1h 33m 54.9s
DEC = 30° 39’ 12.7”
Orientation
North is 75.2° CCW
Field of View
1.0 x 1.5 degrees
Constellation
Triangulum

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.6 µm
Green Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.5 µm
Red Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 8.0 µm
Spectrum_base
Blue
Green
Red
Spitzer_ssc2009-08b1_1280
×
ID
ssc2009-08b1
Subject Category
C.5.1.1.   C.5.3.1.  
Subject Name
Triangulum Galaxy, Messier 33, M33, NGC 598
Credits
NASA / JPL-Caltech
Release Date
2009-04-03
Lightyears
2,900,000
Redshift
2,900,000
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2015-ssc2009-08b1-M33-Infrared-View-of-a-Close-Neighbor
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer
Instrument
IRAC, IRAC, IRAC
Color Assignment
Blue, Green, Red
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Near-IR, Near-IR, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
3600, 4500, 8000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
FK5
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
23.478836491889933, 30.653527101502561
Reference Dimension
2800, 4300
Reference Pixel
2150, 1400
Scale
-0.0003400314232781575, 0.0003400314232781575
Rotation
75.2
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Position
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
/image/spitzer/ssc2009-08b1
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
City
State/Province
Postal Code
Country
Rights
Public Domain
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2009-08b1.tif
Metadata Date
2011-09-02
Metadata Version
1.1
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
2,900,000 light years

Providers | Sign In