Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA
Acknowledgement: Gilles Chapdelaine
Acknowledgement: Gilles Chapdelaine
The galaxy pictured here is NGC 4424, located in the constellation of Virgo. It is not visible with the naked eye but has been captured here with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
Although it may not be obvious from this image, NGC 4424 is in fact a
spiral galaxy. In this image it is seen more or less edge on, but from
above you would be able to see the arms of the galaxy wrapping around
its centre to give the characteristic spiral form .
In 2012 astronomers observed a supernova
in NGC 4424 — a violent explosion marking the end of a star’s life.
During a supernova explosion, a single star can often outshine an entire
galaxy. However, the supernova in NGC 4424, dubbed SN 2012cg,
cannot be seen here as the image was taken ten years prior to the
explosion. Along the central region of the galaxy, clouds of dust block
the light from distant stars and create dark patches.
To the left of NGC 4424 there are two bright objects in the
frame. The brightest is another, smaller galaxy known as LEDA 213994
and the object closer to NGC 4424 is an anonymous star in our Milky Way.
A version of this image was entered into the Hubble's Hidden Treasures image processing competition by contestant Gilles Chapdelaine.
