A Cosmic Embrace

Galex_glx2008-02f_img01_1024

galex_glx2008-02f_img01 April 28th, 2008

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

From 22 million light-years away, galaxy M106 extends two ultraviolet-bright spiral arms in this image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer.

M106's extended arms are the blue filaments that curve around the edge of the galaxy, creating its outer disk. Tints of blue in the galaxy's arms reveal hot, young, massive stars. Meanwhile, traces of gold toward the center reveal an older stellar population and the presence of obscuring dust.

From 24 million-light years away, neighboring galaxy NGC 4248 can be seen sitting just right of M106. The irregular galaxy looks like a yellow smudge, with a bluish-white bar in the center. The galaxy's outer golden glow indicates a population of older stars, while the blue central region shows a younger stellar demographic.

Dwarf galaxy UGC 7365 also emerges at the bottom center of the frame, as a faint yellow smudge directly below M106. This galaxy is not forming any new stars, and looks much smaller than M106 despite being closer to Earth, at 14 million light-years away.

M106, also known as NGC 4258, is located in the constellation Canes Venatici. This image is a two-color composite, with far-ultraviolet light as blue, and near-ultraviolet light as red.

Provider: Galaxy Evolution Explorer

Image Source: /image/galex/glx2008-02f_img01

Curator: Galaxy Evolution Explorer

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Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
M106
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Type > Spiral
Galaxy > Type > Barred
Galaxy > Activity > AGN > Seyfert

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue GALEX (FUV) Ultraviolet (Far-UV) 150.0 nm
Yellow GALEX (NUV) Ultraviolet (Near-UV) 230.0 nm
Spectrum_base
Blue
Yellow
Galex_glx2008-02f_img01_1280
×
ID
glx2008-02f_img01
Subject Category
C.5.1.1.   C.5.1.2.   C.5.3.2.2.  
Subject Name
M106
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Release Date
2008-04-28
Lightyears
Redshift
Reference Url
/image/galex/glx2008-02f_img01
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
GALEX, GALEX
Instrument
FUV, NUV
Color Assignment
Blue, Yellow
Band
Ultraviolet, Ultraviolet
Bandpass
Far-UV, Near-UV
Central Wavelength
150, 230
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/glx2008-02f_img01
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2023-04-12T00:53:13Z
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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There is no distance meta data in this image.

 

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