The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured an amazing new photo of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 7773.
This Hubble image shows the barred spiral galaxy NGC 7773. The image is made up of observations from Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) in the infrared and optical parts of the spectrum. Three filters were used to sample various wavelengths. The color results from assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / J. Walsh.
NGC 7773 is located approximately 357 million light-years away in the constellation of Pegasus.
The galaxy was discovered by the British astronomer William Herschel on October 9, 1790.
Also known as LEDA 72681, UGC 12820 or IRAS 23496+3059, NGC 7773 is a beautiful example of a barred spiral galaxy.
A luminous bar-shaped structure cuts prominently through the galaxy’s bright core, extending to the inner boundary of its sweeping, pinwheel-like spiral arms.
Astronomers think that these bar structures emerge later in the lifetime of a galaxy, as star-forming material makes its way towards the galactic center.
Younger spirals do not feature barred structures as often as older spirals do, suggesting that bars are a sign of galactic maturity.
These bars are also thought to act as stellar nurseries, as they gleam brightly with copious numbers of youthful stars.
Our own Milky Way Galaxy is thought to be a barred spiral like NGC 7773.
By studying galactic specimens such as NGC 7773 throughout the Universe, astronomers hope to learn more about the processes that have shaped — and continue to shape — our cosmic home.
