Hubble image archive
Edge-On Spiral Galaxy NGC 253: Behind a Dusty Veil Lies a Cradle of Star Birth
NGC 253 is a large, almost edge-on spiral galaxy, and is one of the nearest galaxies beyond our local neighborhood of galaxies. This dramatic galaxy shows complex structures such as clumpy gas clouds, darkened dust lanes, and young, luminous central star clusters. These elements...
- Date
- Jan 1, 1998
- Mission
- Hubble Space Telescope
- Archive ID
- hubblesite-images-1998-42-746-image
NGC 253 is a large, almost edge-on spiral galaxy, and is one of the nearest galaxies beyond our local neighborhood of galaxies. This dramatic galaxy shows complex structures such as clumpy gas clouds, darkened dust lanes, and young, luminous central star clusters. These elements are typical of spiral galaxies. Caroline Herschel discovered NGC 253 in 1783 while looking for comets. The galaxy's closeness to Earth makes it an ideal target for amateur astronomers who can see the southern sky and for astronomers interested in learning more about the makeup of these stunning cities of stars.
Credits
The Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI/NASA)Image Details
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | NGC 253, Sculptor Galaxy, Silver Coin Galaxy |
| Object Description | Spiral Galaxy |
| R.A. Position | 00h 47m 33.13s |
| Dec. Position | -25° 17' 17" |
| Constellation | Sculptor |
| Distance | 7.5 million light-years (2.3 million parsecs) |
| Dimensions | The image is 2.7' (roughly 5800 light-years) on the vertical side. |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description | Principal Astronomers: A. Watson (Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), J. Gallagher (U. Wisconsin, Madison), J. Trauger (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) and collaborators. |
| Instrument | HST>WFPC2 |
| Exposure Dates | May 29, 1994, Exposure Time: 1.5 hours |
| Filters | F336W(U), F555W(V), and F814W (I) |
| About The Image | |
| Color Info | Blue: F336W(U) Green: F555W(V) Red: F814W (I) |
More Images From This Period
Downloads
Source
Image and source material are credited to the official mission archive linked below.
View on NASA.gov