Messier objects are a few of the most imaged objects in the universe. In half that’s as a result of lots of them are so visibly interesting. instance of that’s the Whirlpool galaxy, M51, which just lately acquired an much more dramatic visible illustration with a brand new photograph launched by NASA. In it, the magnetic fields which can be holding the galaxy collectively and tearing it aside at the similar time are clearly seen. And it’s much more beautiful to take a look at.
The images have been a composite from NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) mission, and have been offered to the American Astronomical Society at its 237th assembly final week. Astronomers have lengthy identified about the magnetic fields in some components of the galaxy, however SOFIA’s High-Resolution Airborne Wideband Camera (HAWC+) crammed in the chaotic scene round the galaxy’s outer reaches.
Magnetic fields should not the solely beautiful method to observe the Whirlpool Galaxy – right here it’s captured in X-Ray.Credit: Chandra ObservatoryA part of that chaos is probably going induced by one other galaxy, NGC 5195, which is beginning to work together with the Whirlpool galaxy, and is seen in the higher a part of the picture. It is probably going strengthening the magnetic fields in the area between the two galaxies. The results of these fields will ultimately be felt all through the whole galaxy, however it’s going to take missions of years for that to occur. In the meantime we will admire one other little bit of astronomical wizardry and watch the chaos evolve from afar.
Learn More:NASA: Magnetic Chaos Hidden Within the Whirlpool GalaxyKPVI: Magnetic Chaos Hidden Within the Whirlpool GalaxyS&T: Magnetic WhirlpoolUT: Supernova Discovered in M51 the Whirlpool Galaxy
Feature Image: Magnetic subject traces detected in the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51). Credit: NASA, the SOFIA science group, A. Borlaff; NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI) and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
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