A grand spiral galaxy takes center stage in a new image from the Hubble Space Telescope.
The galaxy, known as NGC 5643, is located roughly 40 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Lupus. NGC 5643 is referred to as a grand design spiral, which describes galaxies with prominent and well-defined spiral arms.
The Hubble Space Telescope — which observes the cosmos in visible-light wavelengths, as well as ultraviolet and near-infrared light — has returned stunning views of NGC 5643 that feature its two large, winding spiral arms, bright stellar populations and glowing core, according to a statement from the European Space Agency (ESA). (The Hubble mission is a joint effort of NASA and ESA.)
"As fascinating as the galaxy appears at visible wavelengths, some of NGC 5643's most interesting features are invisible to the human eye," ESA officials said in the statement releasing the new Hubble image.
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This showstopper galaxy boasts two large, winding spiral arms outlined by young, bright blue stars interwoven with reddish-brown dust and pink glowing regions of star formation. Images of NGC 5643 have also revealed an especially bright galactic core called an active galactic nucleus, according to the statement.
An active galactic nucleus (AGN) appears incredibly luminous due to the presence of a central supermassive black hole that is consuming nearby gas and dust. Through this process, the AGN emits enough radiation to outshine the rest of the galaxy altogether.
"When a supermassive black hole ensnares gas from its surroundings, the gas collects in a disc that heats up to hundreds of thousands of degrees," ESA officials said in the statement. "The superheated gas shines brightly across the electromagnetic spectrum, but especially at X-ray wavelengths."
However, NGC 5643 is home to an even brighter source of X-rays than its AGN — an object called NGC 5643 X-1, which was detected using ESA's XMM-Newton X-ray telescope.
Located on the outskirts of the galaxy, NGC 5643 X-1 is believed to be a smaller black hole (albeit about 30 times more massive than the sun) that pulls material from a companion star. Much like an AGN, this process creates a superheated disc surrounding the black hole, which even outshines the galaxy's bright core, according to the statement.
NGC 5643 has been the focus of prior Hubble observations as well. The recent face-on view of the galaxy combines different wavelengths of light, including the red color that is characteristic of gas heated by massive young stars, in order to reveal its intricate and grand details.
