Messier 99
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble, Janice Lee; Processing & Copyright: Leo Shatz
Explanation: Grand design spiral galaxy Messier 99 looks majestic on a truly cosmic scale. This recently processed full galaxy portrait stretches over 70,000 light-years across M99. The sharp view is a combination of ultraviolet, visible, and infrared image data from the Hubble Space Telescope. About 50 million light-years distant toward the well-groomed constellation Coma Bernices, the face-on spiral is a member of the nearby Virgo Galaxy Cluster. Also cataloged as NGC 4254, a close encounter with another Virgo cluster member has likely influenced the shape of its well-defined, blue spiral arms.
Tomorrow’s picture: single shot Andromeda
星系M99
影像提供: NASA, ESA, Hubble, Janice Lee; 影像处理与版权: Leo Shatz
说明: 就是用宇宙的尺度来看，螺旋星系M99还是相当宏伟。这幅最近处理制作的清晰星系影像，结合了来自哈伯太空望远镜的紫外光、可见光和红外光影像数据，以呈现M99宽约70,000光年的区域。这个位在北冕座方向，约5千万光年远处的正面螺旋星系，是邻近的室女座星系团的成员之一。亦拥有NGC 4254编录号的M99，可能曾和另一个室女座星系团的成员近距离接近，因而造就了它泛蓝鲜明螺旋臂的形状。
明日的图片: single shot Andromeda
