NGC 7714: 星系碰撞后的星爆活动

NGC 7714: 星系碰撞后的星爆活动

NGC 7714: Starburst after Galaxy Collision
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Legacy Archive;
Processing & Copyright: Rudy Pohl

Explanation: Is this galaxy jumping through a giant ring of stars? Probably not. Although the precise dynamics behind the featured image is yet unclear, what is clear is that the pictured galaxy, NGC 7714, has been stretched and distorted by a recent collision with a neighboring galaxy. This smaller neighbor, NGC 7715, situated off to the left of the frame, is thought to have charged right through NGC 7714. Observations indicate that the golden ring pictured is composed of millions of older Sun-like stars that are likely co-moving with the interior bluer stars. In contrast, the bright center of NGC 7714 appears to be undergoing a burst of new star formation. The featured image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. NGC 7714 is located about 130 million light years away toward the constellation of the Two Fish (Pisces). The interactions between these galaxies likely started about 150 million years ago and should continue for several hundred million years more, after which a single central galaxy may result.

Tomorrow’s picture: spiraling comet

NGC 7714: 星系碰撞后的星爆活动
影像提供: NASA, ESA, Hubble Legacy Archive;
影像处理与版权: Rudy Pohl

说明: 这个星系正穿过庞大的星环吗？可能不是。虽然这幅由哈勃太空望远镜所拍摄的主题影像，其背后的详细动力学仍然不明，但相当明确的是，影像所呈现的星系NGC 7714，最近刚和邻近的星系互撞，造成它的外观 伸长与扭曲。而位在主题影像左缘外头的较娇小星系NGC 7715，咸信曾笔直撞穿NGC 7714。观测显示，影像中的金色星环，其实是由数以百万计的较高龄类太阳恒星所组成，而这些恒星与内部的泛蓝恒星同步移动。相对比之下，NGC 7714明亮的核心，看似发生了爆发性的恒星诞生活动。NGC 7714位在双鱼座方向，离我们约1亿3千万光年远。 这些星系之间的交互作用，可能大约肇始于1亿5千万年前，行将再持续至少数亿年，或许直到它们合并成单一个大星系方止。

明日的图片: spiraling comet