Astronomers using NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have captured a spectacular new image of the spiral galaxy NGC 5023.
NGC 5023 is seen edge-on in this new image from NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Image credit: ESA / Hubble / NASA.
NGC 5023 lies a mere 33 million light-years distant in the northern constellation Canes Venatici.
The galaxy is almost 50,000 light-years across. It has an apparent magnitude of 12.8 and contains more than two hundred stars with a magnitude of greater than 23.5.
It is part of the M51 group of galaxies. The brightest galaxy in the group, Messier 51, has been captured by Hubble many times. NGC 5023 is less fond of the limelight and seems rather unsociable in comparison – it is relatively isolated from the other galaxies in the group.
NGC 5023 is pretty popular when it comes to astronomers, despite its unsociable behavior.
Scientists are particularly interested in the vertical structure of galactic discs such as in this galaxy. By analyzing the structure above and below the galaxy’s central plane they can make progress in understanding galaxy evolution.
NGC 5023 is one of six edge-on spiral galaxies observed as part of a study using Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys.
The study suggested that heating of the NGC 5023’s disc plays an important role in producing the stars seen away from the plane of the galaxy.
The galaxy is also one of 14 disc galaxies that are part of the GHOSTS survey, a project that uses Hubble data to study galaxy halos, outer discs and star clusters. It is the largest study to date of star populations in the outskirts of disc galaxies.
The incredible sharp sight of Hubble has allowed scientists to count more than 30,000 individual bright stars in this image.
This is only a small fraction of the several billion stars that this galaxy contains, but the others are too faint to detect individually even with a powerful instrument as Hubble.
