NGC 4303 as seen with the VLT and ALMA at several wavelengths of light

This image of the nearby galaxy NGC 4303 was obtained by combining observations taken with the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) and with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), in which ESO is a partner. NGC 4303 is a spiral galaxy, with a bar of stars and gas at its centre, located approximately 55 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. The image is a combination of observations conducted at different wavelengths of light to map stellar populations and gas. ALMA’s observations are represented in brownish-orange tones and highlight the clouds of cold molecular gas that provide the raw material from which stars form. The MUSE data show up mainly in gold and blue. The bright golden glows map warm clouds of mainly ionised hydrogen, oxygen and sulphur gas, marking the presence of newly born stars, while the bluish regions reveal the distribution of slightly older stars.   

The image was taken as part of the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS (PHANGS) project, which is making high-resolution observations of nearby galaxies with telescopes operating across the electromagnetic spectrum.

Credit:

ESO/ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/PHANGS

About the Image

Id:eso2110g
Type:Observation
Release date:16 July 2021, 14:00
Related releases:eso2110
Size:888 x 884 px

About the Object

Name:NGC 4303
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Constellation:Virgo
Category:Galaxies

Image Formats

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Coordinates

Position (RA):12 21 54.89
Position (Dec):4° 28' 24.88"
Field of view:2.96 x 2.95 arcminutes
Orientation:North is -0.0° left of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
G
475 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Optical
OIII
499 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Optical
R
625 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Millimeter
CO [2–1]
1.2 cmAtacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array
Band 6
Optical
SII
673 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Optical
I
775 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Optical
H-alpha
656 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE