Cetus Galaxies and Supernova
Image Credit &
Copyright:
Massimiliano Veschini
Explanation:
Large spiral galaxy NGC 1055 at top left joins
spiral Messier 77 (bottom right) in
this cosmic view
toward the aquatic
constellation
Cetus.
The narrowed, dusty appearance of edge-on spiral
NGC 1055
contrasts nicely with the face-on view of
M77's bright nucleus and spiral arms.
Both over 100,000 light-years across, the pair are dominant members
of a small galaxy group about 60 million light-years away.
At that estimated distance,
M77
is one of the most remote objects in
Charles Messier's catalog,
and is separated from fellow island universe NGC 1055 by at
least 500,000 light-years.
The field of view is about the size of the full Moon
on the sky and
includes colorful foreground Milky Way stars
along with more distant background galaxies.
Taken on November 28, the sharp image also includes newly discovered
supernova SN2018ivc,
its location indicated in the arms of M77.
The light from the explosion of one of M77's massive stars
was discovered by telescopes
on
planet Earth only a few days earlier on November 24.
Source: NASA