0
0
A Stellar Spectacle Captured by Hubble
NGC 685, a barred spiral galaxy located about 64 million light-years away in the constellation Eridanus (The River), has been showcased in a stunning new image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Though smaller than our Milky Way, NGC 685 shares a similar structure, featuring a central stellar bar and sprawling spiral arms.
Star Formation in Action: Glowing H II Regions
NGC 685 is bursting with youthful energy. Its spiral arms are dotted with young, blue stars and vivid pink H II regions—clouds of ionized hydrogen gas glowing due to radiation from hot, newly formed stars.
- These H II regions are temporary but signal active star formation.
- One standout H II region glows brightly near the image’s lower edge.
- Despite its brilliance, NGC 685’s star formation rate is modest—less than half the Sun’s mass in gas per year.
Astronomical Mission: Uncovering the Birth of Stars
NGC 685 was selected for two major star formation research programs:
- Goal: Catalog over 50,000 H II regions and 100,000 star clusters in nearby galaxies.
- Data Sources:
- Hubble (visible and ultraviolet light)
- James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) (infrared)
- ALMA (radio wavelengths)
This multi-wavelength approach allows scientists to peer into dusty stellar nurseries, revealing insights into how stars are born and evolve.
Scientific Significance
NGC 685 is not just visually striking—it’s a key to understanding galaxy evolution, star birth, and the structure of spiral galaxies. Studies like these provide critical data on how galaxies like ours form and grow.
