2 days ago •
The Magnetic Fields of Spiral Galaxy M77
Can magnetic fields help tell us how spiral galaxies form and evolve? To find out, the HAWC instrument on NASA's airborne (747) SOFIA observatory observed nearby spiral galaxy M77. HAWC maps magnetism by observing polarized infrared light emitted by elongated dust grains rotating in alignment with the local magnetic field. The HAWC image shows that magnetic fields do appear to trace the spiral arms in the inner regions of M77, arms that likely highlight density waves in the inflowing gas, dust and stars caused by the gravity of the galaxy's oval shape. The featured picture superposes the HAWC image over diffuse X-ray emission mapped by NASA's NuSTAR satellite and visible light images taken by Hubble and the SDSS. M77 is located about 47 million light years away toward the constellation of the Sea Monster (Cetus).
Related content
Mercury in Silhouette The small, dark, round spot in this solar close up is planet Mercury. In the high resolution telescopic image, a colorized stac...
2 days ago
M16 and the Eagle Nebula A star cluster around 2 million years young surrounded by natal clouds of dust and glowing gas, M16 is also known as The Eag...
2 days ago
The Star Streams of NGC 5907 Grand tidal streams of stars seem to surround galaxy NGC 5907. The arcing structures form tenuous loops extending more t...
2 days ago
Young Stars in the Rho Ophiuchi Cloud How do stars form? To help find out, astronomers created this tantalizing false-color composition of dust clou...
2 days ago
Milky Way over Uruguayan Lighthouse Can a lighthouse illuminate a galaxy? No, but in the featured image, gaps in light emanating from the Jose Ignac...
2 days ago