2025年5月29日
Irregular Dwarf Galaxy Sextans A
Image Credit & Copyright: Franz Hofmann, Gemsbock Observatory
Explanation: Grand spiral galaxies often seem to get all the attention, flaunting young, bright, blue star clusters and pinkish star forming regions along graceful, symmetric spiral arms. But small galaxies form stars too, like irregular dwarf galaxy Sextans A. Its young star clusters and star forming regions are gathered into a gumdrop-shaped region a mere 5,000 light-years across. Seen toward the navigational constellation Sextans, the small galaxy lies some 4.5 million light-years distant. That puts it near the outskirts of the local group of galaxies, that includes the large, massive spirals Andromeda and our own Milky Way. Brighter Milky Way foreground stars appear spiky and yellowish in this colorful telescopic view of Sextans A.
Tomorrow’s picture: Mars in the loop
不规则矮星系六分仪A
影像提供与版权: Franz Hofmann, Gemsbock Observatory
说明: 对称的螺旋臂上，镶着蓝色年轻星团及粉红恒星形成区的宏伟螺旋星系，经常是众人目光的焦点。不过，像不规则矮星系六分仪A（Sextans A）这种小星系，也能诞生恒星。而它的星团和恒星形成区，则分布在形似口香糖、宽只有5,000光年的区域里。位于六分仪座方向，约450万光年远处的这个星系，座落在本星系群的边缘；而本星系群里，重量级成员为仙女座星系及银河系。在这幅星系六分仪A的色彩缤纷望远镜影像里，带芒的较明亮前景恒星，近在我们的银河系里。
明日的图片: Mars in the loop
