Pressemeddelelse
To syn på en skæv galakse
4. maj 2011
Kødkrogsgalaksen, eller NGC 2442, har en meget forvredet form. Den ene spiralarm er foldet tæt omkring sig selv og har været hjemsted for en nylig supernova, mens den anden, der er overstrøet med nylig stjernedannelse, strækker sig langt ud fra kernen. MPG/ESO 2,2 meter teleskopet og NASAs/ESAs rumteleskop Hubble har fanget to vidt forskellige billeder af denne asymmetriske spiralgalakse.
Kødkrogsgalaksen, eller NGC 2442, i det sydlige stjernebillede Volans (på dansk Flyvefisken) kan let genkendes på sine asymmetriske spiralarme. Galaksens skæve udseende menes at være resultatet af tyngdepåvirkningen fra en anden galakse på et tidspunkt i NGC 2442’s historie – selv om det endnu ikke er lykkedes astronomer at lave en sikker identifikation af synderen.
Dette vidvinkelbillede, der er taget med Wide Field Imager på MPG/ESO 2,2 meter teleskopet på La Silla-observatoriet i Chile, viser meget tydeligt den dobbelte kroglignende form, der har givet galaksen dens navn. Dette billede viser både andre galakser tæt på NGC 2442 og mere fjerntliggende galakser, der danner en smuk kulisse. Selv om Wide Field Imager, der er jordbaseret, ikke kan komme i nærheden af Hubbles billeder hvad angår skarphed, kan teleskopet dække et meget større område af himlen i en enkelt optagelse. De to værktøjer giver ofte informationer til astronomerne, der supplerer hinanden.
Et nærbillede fra NASAs/ESA’s rumteleskop Hubble (eso1115b) fokuserer på galaksens kerne og den mest kompakte af de to spiralarme. I 1999 endte en kæmpestjerne sit liv i en supernovaeksplosion i denne spiralarm. Ved at sammenligne ældre jordbaserede observationer, tidligere Hubble-billeder fra 2001 og disse billeder fra slutningen af 2006 har astronomerne været i stand til i detaljer at studere, hvad der skete med stjernen i den sidste del af dens liv. Da dette billede blev taget, var supernovaen falmet væk og var ikke længere synlig.
ESO-observationerne sætter desuden fokus på den anden ende af stjerners livsforløb, end Hubble gør. Spredt over store dele af galaksen, og særligt i den lange af de to spiralarme, findes lyserøde og røde områder. Disse farver stammer fra brintgas i stjernedannende områder: Fordi den energirige stråling fra nyfødte stjerner påvirker gassen i de skyer, de er blevet dannet af, gløder skyerne med en klar rød farve.
Det samspil med en anden galakse, der har givet Kødkrogsgalaksen sin usædvanlige asymmetriske form, har sandsynligvis også udløst af denne nylige episode af stjernedannelse. De samme tidevandskræfter, der deformerede galaksen, forstyrrede skyerne og fik dem til at falde sammen under påvirkning af deres egen tyngdekraft.
Mere information
ESO, det Europæiske Syd Observatorium, er den mest fremtrædende internationale astronomi-organisation i Europa og verdens mest produktive astronomiske observatorium. ESO har i dag følgende 14 medlemslande: Belgien, Danmark, Finland, Frankrig, Holland, Italien, Portugal, Schweiz og Storbritannien, Spanien, Sverige, Tjekkiet, Tyskland og Østrig. Flere lande har udtrykt interesse i medlemskab. ESO’s aktiviteter er fokuseret på design, konstruktion og drift af jordbaserede observationsfaciliteter for astronomi for at muliggøre vigtige videnskabelige opdagelser. ESO spiller også en ledende rolle for at fremme og organisere samarbejdet inden for astronomisk forskning. I Chile driver ESO tre unikke observatorier i verdensklasse: La Silla, Paranal og Chajnantor. På Paranal driver ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT), der er verdens mest avancerede astronomiske observatorium til observationer i synligt lys. ESO er den europæiske partner i et revolutionerede astronomisk teleskop kaldet ALMA, det største igangværende astronomiske projekt. ESO planlægger i øjeblikket et 42 meter optisk/nær-infrarødt teleskop kaldet European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), der vil blive ”verdens største øje mod himlen”.
Links
Kontakter
Richard Hook
ESO, La Silla, Paranal, E-ELT and Survey Telescopes Public Information Officer
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6655
E-mail: rhook@eso.org
Oli Usher
Hubble/ESA
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6855
E-mail: ousher@eso.org
Ole J. Knudsen (Pressekontakt Danmark)
ESOs formidlingsnetværk
og Aarhus Space Centre, Aarhus Universitet
Aarhus, Danmark
Tel: +45 8715 5597
E-mail: eson-denmark@eso.org
Om pressemeddelelsen
| Pressemeddelelse nr.: | eso1115da |
| Navn: | NGC 2442 |
| Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral |
| Facility: | Hubble Space Telescope, MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope |
| Instruments: | WFI |
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