|
 |
 advertisement
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Celestial Neighbors Not As Close As They Appear
By SPACE.com Staff
posted: 08:45 am ET
03 October 2002
|
EMBARGOED FOR 3 October 2002 The two objects in a newly released Hubble Space Telescope image may seem to be neighbors, but in reality more than 900 million light-years separate their celestial zip codes. Using two techniques, astronomers calculated that NGC 4319, the larger of the objects, is a galaxy 80 million light-years away, while the other, Markarian 205 is a quasar at a distance of 1 billion light-years. The visual companions, located in the constellation Draco, only appear to be close because of the alignment of Earth with the distant objects that creates this perspective. The Hubble image also captured fine details in NGC 4319. Two spiral arms are visible near the bright core of the galaxy, and a faint outer arm appears in the corner opposite Markarian 205. Astronomers also noticed that the dark dust lanes near the galactic core are misshapen, a result, they believe, of interactions with another galaxy not in the picture. Markarian 205 has its own local companion, the scientists note, a compact galaxy that may be responsible for the quasar's structure. Once thought to be star-like objects, astronomers now know quasars are galaxies with ultra-bright cores lit by black holes. Most quasars are more distant than Markarian 205, but because of its location and the power of the Hubble, the halo of the quasar is easily distinguishable. The Hubble Space Telescope is a joint project between NASA and the European Space Agency. More Hubble New & Photos | Astronotes
|
|
|
|
|
