Hubble looks at sideways NGC 4710 (crop)
Still an astrophysical mystery, the evolution of the bulges in spiral galaxies led astronomers to the edge-on galaxy NGC 4710. When staring directly at the centre of the galaxy, one can detect a faint, ethereal "X"-shaped structure. Such a feature, which astronomers call a "boxy" or "peanut-shaped" bulge, is due to the vertical motions of the stars in the galaxy's bar and is only evident when the galaxy is seen edge-on. This curiously shaped puff is often observed in spiral galaxies with small bulges and open arms, but is less common in spirals with arms tightly wrapped around a more prominent bulge, such as NGC 4710.
Credit:NASA & ESA
About the Image
Id: | heic0914a |
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Type: | Observation |
Release date: | 18 November 2009, 12:00 |
Related releases: | heic0914 |
Size: | 3381 x 1305 px |
About the Object
Name: | NGC 4710 |
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Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral Local Universe : Galaxy : Component : Bulge |
Distance: | 60 million light years |
Constellation: | Coma Berenices |
Category: | Galaxies |
Wallpapers
Coordinates
Position (RA): | 12 49 38.52 |
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Position (Dec): | 15° 10' 1.01" |
Field of view: | 2.80 x 1.08 arcminutes |
Orientation: | North is 70.4° left of vertical |
Colours & filters
Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
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Optical B | 475 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
Optical Pseudogreen (B+I) |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS | |
Infrared I | 814 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |