A Galaxy in Different Lights

Galex_glx2004-01r_img05_1024

galex_glx2004-01r_img05 December 21st, 2004

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/NOAO

This side-by-side comparison shows the nearby galaxy Messier 81, which is similar to our own Milky Way, in both visible (left) and ultraviolet light (right). While visible-light images of galaxies reveal the distribution of stars, ultraviolet-light images highlight the most active, young stars. The ultraviolet image of Messier 81 shows that the galaxy's spiral arms are dotted with pockets of violent star-forming activity.

NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer is sweeping the entire sky in ultraviolet wavelengths, mapping galaxies and their star-formation rates across 10 billion years of cosmic time.

The visible-light image is from the National Optical Astronomy Observatory. The ultraviolet-light image was taken by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer.

Provider: Galaxy Evolution Explorer

Image Source: /image/galex/glx2004-01r_img05

Curator: Galaxy Evolution Explorer

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Image Details Image Details

Image Type
Collage
Object Name
M81 • NGC 3031 • Bode's Galaxy
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Type > Spiral

Distance Details Distance

Universescale2
11,740,000 light years

Color Mapping Details Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue GALEX Ultraviolet (FUV) 150.0 nm
Yellow GALEX Ultraviolet (NUV) 230.0 nm
Blue NOAO Optical (B-band) 440.0 nm
Green NOAO Optical (V-band) 550.0 nm
Red NOAO Optical (R-band) 700.0 nm
Spectrum_base
Blue
Yellow
Blue
Green
Red
Galex_glx2004-01r_img05_1280
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ID
glx2004-01r_img05
Subject Category
C.5.1.1.  
Subject Name
M81, NGC 3031, Bode's Galaxy
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/NOAO
Release Date
2004-12-21
Lightyears
11,740,000
Redshift
-0.00013
Reference Url
/image/galex/glx2004-01r_img05
Type
Collage
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
GALEX, GALEX, NOAO, NOAO, NOAO
Instrument
Color Assignment
Blue, Yellow, Blue, Green, Red
Band
Ultraviolet, Ultraviolet, Optical, Optical, Optical
Bandpass
FUV, NUV, B-band, V-band, R-band
Central Wavelength
150, 230, 440, 550, 700
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
Equinox
Reference Value
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Galaxy Evolution Explorer
URL
http://www.galex.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
City
State/Province
Postal Code
Country
Rights
Publisher
Galaxy Evolution Explorer
Publisher ID
galex
Resource ID
Resource URL
/image/galex/glx2004-01r_img05
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2022-08-04T20:41:38Z
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
11,740,000 light years

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NASA’s Universe of Learning materials are based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC65A to the Space Telescope Science Institute, working in partnership with Caltech/IPAC, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The award is part of NASA’s Science Activation program, which strives to further enable NASA science experts and content into the learning environment more effectively and efficiently with learners of all ages.