Lenticular Galaxy Ic 335
by Science Source
Title
Lenticular Galaxy Ic 335
Artist
Science Source
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the galaxy IC 335 in front of a backdrop of distant galaxies. IC 335 is part of a galaxy group containing three other galaxies, and is located in the Fornax Galaxy Cluster 60 million light-years away. As seen in this image, the disc of IC 335 appears edge-on from the vantage point of Earth. This makes it harder for astronomers to classify it, as most of the characteristics of a galaxy's morphology, such as the arms of a spiral or the bar across the center, are only visible on its face. Still, the 45,000 light-year-long galaxy could be classified as lenticular, an S0 type galaxy. Lenticular galaxies are an intermediate state in galaxy morphological classification schemes between true spiral and elliptical galaxies. They have a thin stellar disc and a bulge, like spiral galaxies, but in contrast to typical spiral galaxies they have used up most of the interstellar medium. Only a few new stars can be created out of the material that is left and the star formation rate is very low. Hence, the population of stars in S0 galaxies consists mainly of aging stars, very similar to the star population in elliptical galaxies.
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March 27th, 2017
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