Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have taken a picture of the edge-on barred spiral galaxy NGC 2188.
This Hubble image shows NGC 2188, a barred spiral galaxy located 27 million light-years away in the constellation of Columba. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / R. Tully.
NGC 2188 lies approximately 27 million light-years away in the northern constellation of Columba.
The galaxy was discovered on January 9, 1836 by the English astronomer John Herschel.
Otherwise known as ESO 364-37 or LEDA 18536, NGC 2188 is about 50,000 light-years across, half the size of our Milky Way Galaxy.
“Although NGC 2188 appears at first glance to consist solely of a narrow band of stars, it is classified as a barred spiral galaxy,” Hubble astronomers said.
“It appears this way from our viewpoint on Earth as the center and spiral arms of the galaxy are tilted away from us, with only the very narrow outer edge of the galaxy’s disk visible to us.”
“We liken this occurrence to turning a dinner plate in your hands so you see only its outer edge,” they said.
“The true shape of the galaxy was identified by studying the distribution of the stars in the inner central bulge and outer disc and by observing the stars’ colors.”
