(Press-News.org) Size isn't everything... in astronomy, at least. Dwarf galaxy NGC 4214 may be small, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in content. It is packed with everything an astronomer could ask for, from hot, young star-forming regions to old clusters with red supergiants.
The intricate patterns of glowing ionised hydrogen gas, cavities blown clear of gas by stellar wind, and bright stellar clusters of NGC 4214 can be seen in this optical and near-infrared image, taken using the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) instrument on the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
A huge heart-shaped cavity — possibly the galaxy's most eye-catching feature — can be seen at the centre of the image. Inside this hole lies a large cluster of massive, young stars ranging in temperature from 10 000 to 50 000 degrees Celsius. Their strong stellar winds are responsible for the creation of this hollow area. The resulting lack of gas prevents any further star formation from occurring in this region.
Located around 10 million light-years away in the constellation of Canes Venatici (The Hunting Dogs), the galaxy's relative close proximity to us, combined with the wide variety of evolutionary stages among the stars, makes it an ideal laboratory to research what triggers star formation and evolution. By chance, there is relatively little interstellar dust between us and NGC 4214, making our measurements of it more accurate.
NGC 4214 contains a large amount of gas, some of which can be seen glowing red in the image, providing abundant material for star formation. The area with the most hydrogen gas, and consequently, the youngest clusters of stars (around two million years old), lies in the upper part of this Hubble image. Like most of the features in the image, this area is visible due to ionisation of the surrounding gas by the ultraviolet light of a young cluster of stars within.
Observations of this dwarf galaxy have also revealed clusters of much older red supergiant stars that we see at a late stage in their evolution. Additional older stars can be seen dotted all across the galaxy. While these are dominant in infrared emission they can only be seen shining faintly in this visible-light image. The variety of stars at different stages in their evolution, indicate that the recent and ongoing starburst periods are by no means the first, and the galaxy's numerous ionised hydrogen regions suggest they will not be the last.
INFORMATION:
Notes
The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.
Image credit: Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration
Acknowledgment: R. O'Connell (University of Virginia) and the WFC3 Scientific Oversight Committee
Links
- Images of Hubble: http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/archive/category/spacecraft/
Galaxy NGC 4214: A star formation laboratory
2011-05-13
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
BarcodeLabelPro.com Partners With TrialPay to Give Away Barcode Maker Software
2011-05-13
BarcodeLabelPro.com (http://www.barcodelabelpro.com) announces the free offer of barcode generating software, Accu2000 Barcode Maker at www.barcodelabelPro.com that allows users to get the 1-D version barcode maker at $0 cost when they check out through TrialPay offer.
"In a down economy, companies need to streamline and increase efficiency, so they can be more productive with every minute and every dollar," said Dr. Ge, the founder of halfpricesoft.com. "Accu2000 barcode generator is easy-to-use and flexible. We hope this free offer will put customized ...
Smaller proportion of Medicare patients hospitalized for heart problems
2011-05-13
Heart-related problems accounted for a smaller proportion of hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries within the past ten years than did other causes for hospitalization, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Quality of Care and Outcomes Research in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke 2011 Scientific Sessions.
The study, the largest within the past decade to look at hospitalization rates among Medicare beneficiaries, found that the proportion of heart disease hospitalizations is falling at a faster rate than those from other leading causes of hospital ...
Study gives clue as to how notes are played on the genetic piano
2011-05-13
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, U.S.A. (May 12, 2011) — Japanese and U.S. scientists in the young field of epigenetics Thursday reported a rationale as to how specific genes are silenced and others are not. Because this effect can be reversed, it may be possible to devise therapies for cancer and other diseases using this information.
The NOVA U.S. public television program described epigenetics as "The Ghost In Your Genes." It is the study of changes in gene expression that occur without changes in DNA sequence. Like keys on a piano, DNA is the static blueprint for all the proteins ...
San Antonio Remodeling Firm to Appear on KENS 5's Great Day SA - Lone Star Remodeling And Renovations to Discuss Home Remodeling Trends and Design/Build Concepts on the Show
2011-05-13
The highly rated San Antonio morning show "Great Day SA" on Kens 5 is known for highlighting the best of the best San Antonio businesses. On May 16th, 2011 from 9 to 10, Lone Star Remodeling And Renovations will appear on the show to discuss remodeling trends and design/build remodeling concepts.
Lone Star is a San Antonio home remodeling firm that handles both the design and construction of your project. Designs, material selection, budgeting, and scheduling are all streamlined for their clients, making the remodeling process much simpler and more enjoyable. ...
From a single adult cell, Flatworm crafts a new body
2011-05-13
A single adult cell from one of the most impressive masters of regeneration in the animal kingdom – the planarian – is all it takes to build a completely functional new worm, researchers have learned. The study provides the first hard evidence that adult planarians harbor pluripotent stem cells – cells capable of producing the diverse range of tissue types necessary to build a complete animal.
Distributed throughout the worm body, the newfound cells appear to have the same all-purpose qualities as embryonic stem cells. Such cells are essential for supplying the rapidly ...
NASA's Galileo reveals magma 'ocean' beneath surface of Jupiter's moon
2011-05-13
A new analysis of data from NASA's Galileo spacecraft has revealed that beneath the surface of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io is an "ocean" of molten or partially molten magma.
The finding, from a study published May 13 in the journal Science, is the first direct confirmation of such a magma layer on Io and explains why the moon is the most volcanic object known in the solar system. The research was conducted by scientists from UCLA, UC Santa Cruz and the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.
"The hot magma in Io's ocean is millions of times better at conducting electricity ...
Stem cells from bone marrow save the day
2011-05-13
New research, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy, investigates the therapeutic use of human stem cells from bone marrow against acute lung injury and identifies TNF-α-induced protein 6 as a major molecular component of stem cell action.
Acute lung injury is a major complication of critically ill patients resulting in pulmonary edema, hypoxia and, in the worst cases, organ failure. Consequently up to 40% of all sufferers die because their bodies' immune systems overreact in an attempt to repair the original lung damage. ...
Genetic clue to common birth defects found
2011-05-13
Scientists at King's College London have, for the first time, uncovered a gene responsible for Adams-Oliver Syndrome (AOS), a condition which can cause birth defects of the heart, limbs, or blood vessels.
The study, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics today, gives valuable insight not only into this particular condition, but also the possible genetic causes of these common birth defects found in the wider population.
The team of researchers, led by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at King's ...
Ancient gene gives planarians a heads-up in regeneration
2011-05-13
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (May 12, 2011) – A seldom-studied gene known as notum plays a key role in the planarian's regeneration decision-making process, according to Whitehead Institute scientists. Protein from this gene determines whether a head or tail will regrow at appropriate amputation sites.
Since the late 1800s, scientists have been fascinated by the planarian's amazing ability to regenerate its entire body from a small wedge of tissue. Whitehead Member Peter Reddien and former postdoctoral fellow Christian Petersen recently found that the Wnt pathway—an ancient signaling ...
Pluripotent adult stem cells power planarian regeneration
2011-05-13
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (May 12, 2011) – Ever since animals, such as lizards and starfish, were observed regenerating missing body parts, people have wondered where the new tissues come from. In the case of the planarian flatworm, Whitehead Institute researchers have determined that the source of this animal's extraordinary regenerative powers is a single, pluripotent cell type.
Most advanced animals, including mammals, have a system of specialized stem cells. In humans, we have blood stem cells in our bone marrow that make blood and immune cells, skin stem cells that produce ...