Wide Field Imager view of a Milky Way look-alike, NGC 6744

This picture of the nearby galaxy NGC 6744 was taken with the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at La Silla. The large spiral galaxy is similar to the Milky Way, making this image look like a picture postcard of our own galaxy sent from extragalactic space. The picture was created from exposures taken through four different filters that passed blue, yellow-green, red light, and the glow coming from hydrogen gas. These are shown in this picture as blue, green, orange and red, respectively.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso1118a
Type:Observation
Release date:1 June 2011, 12:00
Related releases:eso1118
Size:5312 x 4472 px

About the Object

Name:NGC 6744
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Distance:30 million light years
Constellation:Pavo
Category:Galaxies

Image Formats

Large JPEG
12.0 MB
Screensize JPEG
260.4 KB

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1024x768
285.7 KB
1280x1024
439.6 KB
1600x1200
630.6 KB
1920x1200
781.7 KB
2048x1536
1.0 MB

Coordinates

Position (RA):19 9 46.19
Position (Dec):-63° 51' 28.80"
Field of view:21.07 x 17.74 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 90.0° right of vertical