NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured a mesmerizing celestial entity resembling an 'evil eye,' gazing at us from a remote corner of the cosmos.
The Hubble Space Telescope has documented a distinctive galaxy situated 17 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices, famously known as the "Evil Eye." This galaxy showcases sweeping bands of cosmic dust, presenting a captivating spectacle.
(Photo : ESA/Hubble & NASA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team; Judy Schmidt)
The luminous yellow core of a galaxy stands out amid the shadowy dust in shades of brown and orange, while swirling clusters of blue and purple dots dance around the center of the galaxy.
Peculiar Internal Dynamics
Initially discovered in 1799, astronomers recognize this galaxy for its peculiar internal dynamics. The gas within the inner and outer regions exhibits contrasting motions, potentially attributed to a recent merger of galaxies.
NASA's image description paints a vivid picture - a luminous yellow nucleus radiates amidst dark dust in shades of brown and orange, with blue and purple dots swirling around the galaxy's center.
The captivating visuals stem from the collision of two galaxies, resulting in a merged star system with an extraordinary appearance and peculiar internal motions. Messier 64 (M64), also known as the "Black Eye" or "Evil Eye" galaxy, boasts a remarkable dark band of absorbing dust in front of its bright nucleus. The Hubble Space Telescope unveils intricate details of this dark band in the central portion of M64.
This galaxy has been a favorite among amateur astronomers due to its visibility in small telescopes. It was initially cataloged in the 18th century by the French astronomer Messier and resides approximately 17 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Coma Berenices.
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An Explosive Past
(Photo : ESA/Hubble & NASA, C. Kilpatrick)
This image was captured by the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) aboard NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and showcases the spiral galaxy NGC 941, situated approximately 55 million light-years away from Earth.
In a related cosmic exploration, Hubble directs its lens towards the spiral galaxy NGC 941, an enchanting celestial entity positioned about 55 million light-years away from Earth. However, what makes this observation particularly significant is the galaxy's explosive past.
The Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) captures the intricate details of NGC 941, showcasing its visual splendor. Yet, the primary motive behind collecting this data lies in an astronomical event that unfolded within its cosmic expanse years ago - the supernova SN 2005ad, according to NASA.
SN 2005ad, a faded but historically significant supernova, takes center stage in this observation, forming part of a broader study probing multiple hydrogen-rich supernovae, classified as type II supernovae.
The study aims to deepen our comprehension of the specific environments where these explosive events occur. Intriguingly, the discovery credit for SN 2005ad goes to an accomplished amateur astronomer, Kōichi Itagaki, renowned for discovering over 170 supernovae.
To see this stunning image and read more about its story, click here.
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