Dwarf Irregular Galaxy, I Zwicky 18
by Science Source
Title
Dwarf Irregular Galaxy, I Zwicky 18
Artist
Science Source
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Photograph - Photograph
Description
This dwarf irregular galaxy, I Zwicky 18, has a youthful appearance that resembles galaxies typically found only in the early universe. Hubble found faint, older stars within this galaxy which suggest that the galaxy, which was previously believed to be a toddler galaxy, may have formed at the same time as most other galaxies. Hubble data also allowed astronomers for the first time to identify Cepheid variable stars in I Zwicky 18, marked by the red circles. These flashing stellar mile-markers were used to determine that I Zwicky 18 is 59 million light-years from Earth, almost 10 million light-years more distant than previously believed. I Zwicky 18 is much smaller than our Milky Way Galaxy. The concentrated bluish-white knots embedded in the heart of the galaxy are two major starburst regions where stars are forming at a furious rate. The wispy blue filaments surrounding the central starburst regions are bubbles of gas that have been blown away by stellar winds and supernovae explosions from a previous generation of hot stars. Besides the bluish-white young stars, white-reddish stars also are visible in both I Zwicky 18 and its companion. These stars may be as old as 10 billion years. The reddish extended objects surrounding I Zwicky 18 and its companion are ancient, fully formed galaxies of different shapes that are much farther away. Hubble data also allowed astronomers for the first time to identify Cepheid variable stars in I Zwicky 18. These flashing stellar mile-markers were used to determine that I Zwicky 18 is 59 million light-years from Earth, almost 10 million light-years more distant than previously believed. The observations of I Zwicky 18 were taken in 2005 and 2006 with Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys. Astronomers made this image by combining observations taken with blue and red filters.
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December 2nd, 2015
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