Hubble Spots Edge-On Spiral Galaxy | Astronomy – Sci-News.com
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has produced a beautiful image of the spiral galaxy NGC 3717.
This Hubble image shows the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 3717. The image is made up of observations from Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) in the infrared and optical parts of the spectrum. Two filters were used to sample various wavelengths. The color results from assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / D. Rosario.
NGC 3717 is located about 60 million light-years away in the constellation of Hydra.
The galaxy was discovered by the English astronomer John Herschel on April 29, 1834.
Also known as LEDA 35539, ESO 439-15 and UGCA 238, NGC 3717 is seen almost edge-on, and reveals its complex dust lanes.
“Seeing a spiral almost in profile can provide a vivid sense of its 3D shape,” the Hubble astronomers said.
“Through most of their expanse, spiral galaxies are shaped like a thin pancake.”
“At their cores, though, they have bright, spherical, star-filled bulges that extend above and below this disk, giving these galaxies a shape somewhat like that of a flying saucer when they are seen edge-on.”
“NGC 3717 is not captured perfectly edge-on in the new Hubble image,” they added.
“The nearer part of the galaxy is tilted ever so slightly down, and the far side tilted up.”
“This angle affords a view across the disk and the central bulge, of which only one side is visible.”
