APOD: NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans (2017 Aug 17)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
User avatar
APOD Robot
Otto Posterman
Posts: 5550
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:27 am

APOD: NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans (2017 Aug 17)

Post by APOD Robot » Thu Aug 17, 2017 4:10 am

Image NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans

Explanation: Distorted galaxy NGC 2442 can be found in the southern constellation of the flying fish, (Piscis) Volans. Located about 50 million light-years away, the galaxy's two spiral arms extending from a pronounced central bar have a hook-like appearance in wide-field images. But this mosaicked close-up, constructed from Hubble Space Telescope and European Southern Observatory data, follows the galaxy's structure in amazing detail. Obscuring dust lanes, young blue star clusters and reddish star forming regions surround a core of yellowish light from an older population of stars. The sharp image data also reveal more distant background galaxies seen right through NGC 2442's star clusters and nebulae. The image spans about 75,000 light-years at the estimated distance of NGC 2442.

<< Previous APOD This Day in APOD Next APOD >>
[/b]

User avatar
Ann
4725 Å
Posts: 13765
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 5:33 am

Re: APOD: NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans (2017 Aug 17)

Post by Ann » Thu Aug 17, 2017 5:03 am

Image
NGC 2442 as photographed by Hubble.
NGC 2442 is a fascinating galaxy with a very strange and striking shape. Unfortunately, today's APOD doesn't show you all of NGC 2442, but there is a very good reason for that. Robert Gendler worked with Hubble data, and Hubble didn't photograph all of the galaxy! The small picture at left shows you Hubble's field of view of the galaxy!
Image[c]NGC 2442 as seen by ESO.[/c]
At right you can see the full shape of NGC 2442. The remarkable strongly bent arm chock full of star formation is the reason why this galaxy is known as the Meat Hook Galaxy.


Even though today's APOD doesn't show us the hook of the Meat Hook galaxy, I nevertheless very much enjoy the picture. The colors are splendid and the resolution is great! Even the caption is very good! :D

Ann
Last edited by Ann on Thu Aug 17, 2017 2:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Color Commentator

Knight of Clear Skies
Ensign
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2016 9:02 am

Re: APOD: NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans (2017 Aug 17)

Post by Knight of Clear Skies » Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:18 am

That's superb, another gem from Robert Gendler. The Hubble/Gendler/GaBany M106 is my favorite galaxy image.

Image
Caradon Observatory, Cornwall, UK.

FLPhotoCatcher
Science Officer
Posts: 247
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:51 am

Re: APOD: NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans (2017 Aug 17)

Post by FLPhotoCatcher » Thu Aug 17, 2017 3:56 pm

Ann wrote:
Image
NGC 2442 as photographed by Hubble.
NGC 2442 is a fascinating galaxy with a very strange and striking shape. Unfortunately, today's APOD doesn't show you all of NGC 2442, but there is a very good reason for that. Robert Gendler worked with Hubble data, and Hubble didn't photograph all of the galaxy! The small picture at left shows you Hubble's field of view of the galaxy!
Image[c]NGC 2442 as seen by ESO.[/c]
At right you can see the full shape of NGC 2442. The remarkable strongly bent arm chock full of star formation is the reason why this galaxy is known as the Meat Hook Galaxy.


Even though today's APOD doesn't show us the hook of the Meat Hook galaxy, I nevertheless very much enjoy the picture. The colors are splendid and the resolution is great! Even the caption is very good! :D

Ann
Beautiful galaxy!
But the field of view of today's APOD is more complete than the view in the small picture you call Hubble's field of view. What happened? Surely someone didn't guess what was there, and paint-in the missing areas..? :? :lol2:

User avatar
Chris Peterson
Abominable Snowman
Posts: 18535
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: Guffey, Colorado, USA

Re: APOD: NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans (2017 Aug 17)

Post by Chris Peterson » Thu Aug 17, 2017 5:29 pm

FLPhotoCatcher wrote:But the field of view of today's APOD is more complete than the view in the small picture you call Hubble's field of view. What happened? Surely someone didn't guess what was there, and paint-in the missing areas..? :? :lol2:
Note that the data didn't just come from Hubble.
Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com

FLPhotoCatcher
Science Officer
Posts: 247
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:51 am

Re: APOD: NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans (2017 Aug 17)

Post by FLPhotoCatcher » Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:21 pm

Chris Peterson wrote:
FLPhotoCatcher wrote:But the field of view of today's APOD is more complete than the view in the small picture you call Hubble's field of view. What happened? Surely someone didn't guess what was there, and paint-in the missing areas..? :? :lol2:
Note that the data didn't just come from Hubble.
I see. Do you know if there is there a mosaic of the whole galaxy using Hubble and ESO data?

FLPhotoCatcher
Science Officer
Posts: 247
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:51 am

Re: APOD: NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans (2017 Aug 17)

Post by FLPhotoCatcher » Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:54 pm

Actually, if you click on the "mosaicked close-up" link in the description, they say that there is a "small area of cloning left lower spiral arm for cosmetic purposes." I don't see it... It must be a cosmetic of cosmic quality.

User avatar
neufer
Vacationer at Tralfamadore
Posts: 18805
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:57 pm
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Re: APOD: NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans (2017 Aug 17)

Post by neufer » Fri Aug 18, 2017 3:08 am

FLPhotoCatcher wrote:
Actually, if you click on the "mosaicked close-up" link in the description, they say that there is a "small area of cloning left lower spiral arm for cosmetic purposes." I don't see it... It must be a cosmetic of cosmic quality.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=cosmos wrote:
cosmos (n.) c. 1200 (but not popular until 1848, as a translation of Humboldt's Kosmos), from Latinized form of Greek kosmos "order, good order, orderly arrangement," a word with several main senses rooted in those notions: The verb kosmein meant generally "to dispose, prepare," but especially "to order and arrange (troops for battle), to set (an army) in array;" also "to establish (a government or regime);" "to deck, adorn, equip, dress" (especially of women). Thus kosmos had an important secondary sense of "ornaments of a woman's dress, decoration" as well as "the universe, the world." Pythagoras is said to have been the first to apply this word to "the universe," perhaps originally meaning "the starry firmament," but later it was extended to the whole physical world, including the earth.
Art Neuendorffer