Hubble captures incredible 'barred spiral galaxy' 214 million light-years away
Astronomy enthusiasts or simple admirers of the wonders of space, here is a new photo of the aptly named Hubble. Like the astronomer after whom it is named, the space telescope teaches us more about galaxies.
It is considered that there are in space (all inclusive) about 2 trillion galaxies , or 2 million millions. And in each of these systems, a colossal number of stars , planets, nebulae etc. It makes your head spin. What give us a kind of cosmic vertigo. And yet we do not know everything!
The three families of galaxies
Among all these galaxies, some clash with their shape, but it is generally considered that there are only three main types of galaxies . The millions of systems can therefore all be placed in one or other of the categories.
These are: ellipticals, spirals, and irregulars. Defined in The Hubble Sequence , (Eddwin Hubble, the astronomer), the latter are therefore classified according to their appearance and not according to their rate of star formation or the activity of their core.
A barred spiral galaxy
The spiral galaxies are the most emblematic, they form a large whirlpool . The ellipticals look like a sort of large globular cluster of stars and bodies. Irregulars include all those whose structure is not clearly discernible.
The one that interests us here is a barred spiral galaxy, so it looks like a large whirlpool but at the same time has two very distinct spiral arms that start on either side of its core to finally bend. The Milky Way, our system is also one.
blinking stars
Captured by Hubble (the space telescope this time) last December, the galaxy NGC 6956 presents us with large bluish swirls surrounding a particularly luminous galactic core. The latter is located 214 million light-years away , more precisely in the small constellation of the dolphin.
If this magnificent photo of Hubble will delight our eyes as astronomy enthusiasts and space aesthete , it still has a scientific purpose! Indeed, NASA aims to study the Cepheid variable stars within the system. These are stars that light up and go out at regular periods.
What interests the astronomers of the space agency is the distance at which these stars are located and for this, their “blinking” speed is particularly valuable! Indeed, by comparing their real luminosity, and their luminosity from Hubble, we can measure the distance which separates us from them . Important information for researchers.
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