The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has delivered an unrivalled snapshot of the barred lenticular galaxy NGC 3384.
This Hubble image shows the barred lenticular galaxy NGC 3384. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / Lehmer et al.
NGC 3384 was discovered by the British astronomer William Herschel on March 11, 1784.
This barred lenticular galaxy is located approximately 35 million light-years away in the constellation of Leo.
It is a member of the Leo I group (M96 group), a group of about 24 galaxies, including three Messier objects (Messier 95, 96 and 105).
Also known as LEDA 32292 or UGC 5911, NGC 3384 has many of the features characteristic of elliptical galaxies.
Such galaxies glow diffusely, are rounded in shape, display few visible features, and rarely show signs of recent star formation. Instead, they are dominated by ancient red-hued stars.
This stands in contrast to the sprightliness of spiral galaxies, such as our own Milky Way Galaxy, which possess significant populations of young, blue stars in spiral arms swirling around a bright core.
However, NGC 3384 also displays a hint of disk-like structure towards its center, in the form of a central ‘bar’ of stars.
Many spiral galaxies also boast such a bar, the Milky Way Galaxy included.
Such galactic bars are thought to funnel material through and around a galaxy’s core, helping to maintain and fuel the activities and processes occurring there.
This color image of NGC 3384 was made from separate exposures taken in the visible region of the spectrum with Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS).
Two filters — F465W and F850W — were used to sample various wavelengths.
The color results from assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter.
