Copyright:Mike Selby
中文翻譯:
在南方的天空裡，有一個名叫NGC 2442的扭曲星系，它就像一條飛翔的魚，這裡是飛魚座（Piscis Volans）。這個星系離我們大約有5000萬光年遠，當你看到它的圖像時，你會發現它的中央有一根顯著的橫桿，從中延伸出兩條旋臂，讓它看起來像是鉤子一樣。圖片中的前景還散落著來自前方的星星，這幅圖非常豐富多彩，展示了這個遙遠星系的塵埃帶、年輕的藍色星團和周圍橘紅色的星際形成區，它們圍繞著一顆發出黃光的老人星系。特別是，形成星星的區域似乎更加集中在畫面右上方的旋臂上。科學家們認為，這樣的扭曲結構可能是因為它曾經與一顆小星系發生過親密的相遇，而那顆小星系就在圖片的左上方。這幅圖的視野跨越了20萬光年，這是NGC 2442的估計距離。
原文:
Distorted galaxy NGC 2442 can be found in the southern constellation of the flying fish, (Piscis) Volans. Located about 50 million light-years away, the galaxy’s two spiral arms extending from a pronounced central bar give it a hook-shaped appearance in this deep and colorful image, with foreground stars scattered across the telescopic field of view. The image also reveals the distant galaxy’s obscuring dust lanes, young blue star clusters and reddish star forming regions surrounding a core of yellowish light from an older population of stars. But the star forming regions seem more concentrated along the drawn-out (upper right) spiral arm. The distorted structure is likely the result of an ancient close encounter with a smaller galaxy that lies off top left of the frame. This telescopic field of view spans over 200,000 light-years at the estimated distance of NGC 2442.
來源:NASA每日圖片
