Spectacular annular galaxy

2002/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronomia

The object of Hoag is the galaxy seen in this spectacular photograph. The astronomer Art Hoag identified him in the 50s and is about 600 million light years from us. Singular annular galaxy measuring 120,000 light years from side to side.

The photo, made by Hubble, has not only been spectacular, but has served to know more precisely the galaxy. The ring seems to be formed by young stars of great mass and a oldest central yellowish nucleus. Meanwhile, astronomers believe that there are groups of stars that we are not yet able to see and that instead of a single ring there are two, one behind the other.