NGC 2442：飞鱼座的星系

2020年8月4日

NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans
Image Credit & Copyright: Processing: Robert Gendler & Roberto Colombari
Data: Hubble Legacy Archive, European Southern Observatory

Explanation: Distorted galaxy NGC 2442 can be found in the southern constellation of the flying fish, (Piscis) Volans. Located about 50 million light-years away, the galaxy’s two spiral arms extending from a pronounced central bar have a hook-like appearance in wide-field images. But this mosaicked close-up, constructed from Hubble Space Telescope and European Southern Observatory data, follows the galaxy’s structure in amazing detail. Obscuring dust lanes, young blue star clusters and reddish star forming regions surround a core of yellowish light from an older population of stars. The sharp image data also reveal more distant background galaxies seen right through NGC 2442’s star clusters and nebulae. The image spans about 75,000 light-years at the estimated distance of NGC 2442.

Tomorrow’s picture: sun dagger

NGC 2442：飞鱼座的星系
影像提供与版权: 影像处理: Robert Gendler & Roberto Colombari
数据提供: Hubble Legacy Archive, European Southern Observatory

说明: 在南天的飞鱼座内，可找到外观扭曲的星系NGC 2442。在这幅广视野影像里，离我们约5千万光年远的这个星系，有二道螺旋臂从鲜明的棒状核心伸展出来，让它带着钩状的外观。上面这张由哈伯太空望远镜和欧南天文台镜数据建构而成的拼接特写影像，极为细致的呈现星系的结构，包括黄色年老恒星聚成的核心，以及包裹在它周围的不透光尘埃带、年轻蓝色星团和泛红恒星诞生区。这张清晰的影像数据，也记录了位在NGC 2442星团和云气后方多个更遥远的背景星系。依NGC 2442的距离来估算，这幅影像涵盖了约75,000光年的区域。

明日的图片: sun dagger