Post by glactus on Sept 14, 2008 2:31:17 GMT
NGC 1300 - The barred spiral
NGC 1300 is often touted as being the most spectacular example of a barred spiral galaxy- and for good reason, the bar in the central portion of this galaxy is larger than the diameter of our own galaxy at an incredible length of 150,000 light years across.
This galaxy is approximately 75 million light years away in the constellation of Eridanus. However, even at this remote distance astronomers have studied this galaxy intensely since it reveals information about the nature of our galaxy, the Milky Way. Measurements of the speeds at which clouds of gas (and stars) orbit the galaxy were taken in order to determine how a barred spiral galaxy develops.
The Milky Way has a small bar; however, studying an external face-on barred spiral like NGC 1300 is easier than looking through the intervening gas and dust of our own galaxy towards the center.
The blue portions of the bars indicate fevourish starbirth, with regions about the same age as stars in our own galaxy.
One wonders what civilizations abound in this beautiful galactic structure, their landscape, their features, their cultures and their technology.
Credits: NGC 1300 - a NASA image ;
