Hubble Space Telescope spots streams of star formation flowing between galaxies

[Judi Lynn]

By Elizabeth Howell published 1 day ago

The newly revised work shows off the power of starbirth.



A newly revised NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the Hickson Compact Group 31 (HCG 31). (Image credit: NASA, ESA, and J. Charlton (Pennsylvania State University); Image processing: G. Kober (NASA Goddard/Catholic University of America))


Stars from colliding galaxies flow together in a newly upgraded image from NASA's venerable space telescope.

The Hubble Space Telescope has been hard at work for more than three decades, and scientists never lose their fascination with the observatory's vast archives. Take, for example, this "river of star formation," as NASA officials termed it in a statement released on Wednesday (May 17), takes place in an intersection of four dwarf galaxies within the Hickson Compact Group 31 (HCG 31) of galaxies.

The image was first released in 2010 and was re-envisioned to showcase star-forming regions. Blue in the image represents visible blue light, in which several hot, young blue stars are shining, particularly in a pair of colliding dwarf galaxies collectively called galaxy NGC 1741 (top-right of center). Red shows off light in the near-infrared.

"Another dwarf, cigar-shaped galaxy to [NGC 1741]'s right joins their dance with a thin, blue stream of stars that connects the trio," NASA said. A fourth member, HGC 31, is visible at bottom left. There's also a bright star in the way of the quartet galaxies, which you can see in the center of the image.

More:
https://www.space.com/hubble-space-telescope-star-formation-river-image

[Jack-o-Lantern]

1. Wow! Thank you for posting this Judi.

[Judi Lynn]

2. It's overwhelming to me, Jack-o-Lantern. So much new information, continually!

Thank you for taking the time.

[Delphinus]

3. Thank you

These pictures allow me to dream.