NGC 1097: 有超新星的螺旋星系

2023年10月11日

NGC 1097: Spiral Galaxy with Supernova
Image Data: Telescope Live (Chile); Image Processing & Copyright: Bernard Miller

Explanation: What’s happening in the lower arm of this spiral galaxy? A supernova. Last month, supernova SN 2023rve was discovered with UAE‘s Al-Khatim Observatory and later found to be consistent with the death explosion of a massive star, possibly leaving behind a black hole. Spiral galaxy NGC 1097 is a relatively close 45 million light years away and visible with a small telescope toward the southern constellation of the Furnace (Fornax). The galaxy is notable not only for its picturesque spiral arms, but also for faint jets consistent with ancient star streams left over from a galactic collision — possibly with the small galaxy seen between its arms on the lower left. The featured image highlights the new supernova by blinking between two exposures taken several months apart. Finding supernovas in nearby galaxies can be important in determining the scale and expansion rate of our entire universe — a topic currently of unexpected tension and much debate.

APOD editor to speak: in Houghton, Michigan on Thursday, October 12 at 6 pm

Tomorrow’s picture: The Garnet Star

NGC 1097: 有超新星的螺旋星系
影像数据提供: Telescope Live (Chile); 影像处理与版权: Bernard Miller

说明: 这个螺旋星系的下旋臂发生了什么事？出现了一颗超新星。在上个月，阿拉伯联合酋长国的哈提姆天文台发现了超新星SN 2023rve，接着又发现它的特性与发生死亡爆炸的大质量恒星一致，故此事件可能也留下了一颗黑洞。螺旋星系NGC 1097相当邻近我们，距离只有4500万光年远，用小型望远镜即可在南天的天炉座方向见到它。这个星系不仅以拥有美丽的旋臂著称，还拥有暗淡的喷流，其特征与此星系很久以前或许曾与左下旋臂缝里的小星系，发生过星系碰撞所孑遗的恒星流一致。这幅主题影像透过在摄于相隔数月的2张照片之间切换，以突显这颗刚出现的超新星。寻找邻近星系里的超新星，对于测定宇宙的规模和膨胀速率，这些目前颇有冲突及争议的课题很重要。