Astronomy Picture of the Day
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Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is
featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2014 May 8
The Tail of the Hamburger Galaxy
Image Credit &
Copyright:
Martin Pugh
Explanation:
Sharp telescopic views of
NGC 3628
show a puffy
galactic disk divided by dark dust lanes.
Of course,
this deep portrait
of the magnificent, edge-on spiral galaxy puts some astronomers
in mind of its popular moniker,
the Hamburger Galaxy.
It also reveals a small galaxy nearby, likely a satellite of
NGC 3628, and a faint but extensive
tidal tail.
The tantalizing
island
universe itself is about 100,000 light-years
across and 35 million light-years away in
the northern springtime constellation Leo.
Its drawn out tail stretches for about 300,000
light-years, even beyond the left edge of the wide frame.
NGC 3628 shares its neighborhood in the
local
Universe with two other large spirals
M65 and
M66 in a grouping
otherwise known as
the Leo Triplet.
Gravitational
interactions with its
cosmic neighbors are
likely responsible for creating the tidal tail,
as well as the extended flare and warp of this spiral's disk.
Tomorrow's picture: Halley dust
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Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(
MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell (
UMCP)
NASA Official: Phillip Newman
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