#ngc1073

[brightestofcentaurus]

NGC 1073

NGC 1073 is a barred spiral galaxy located towards the constellation Cetus, the Sea Monster. The classification of “barred spiral” comes from the bar-like structure in the center of the galaxy, a trait shared by our own Milky Way and many other spiral galaxies.

The bars are thought to be created by gravitational density waves gathering material to the center of the galaxy, fueling new star formation and possibly feeding supermassive black holes. Astronomers have noticed that bars tend to appear in older galaxies rather than younger galaxies, suggesting that the bar may demonstrate a transition in galactic evolution.

Image and information from ESA.

[brightestofcentaurus]

NGC 1073

NGC 1073 is a barred spiral galaxy located about 55 million light years away towards the constellation Cetus, the Sea Monster. The galaxy is about 80,000 light years across. In this image, three quasars are circled, as well as X-ray source IXO 5. The quasars, incredibly bright objects thought to be created from matter falling in to supermassive black holes, are actually located in galaxies billions of light years behind NGC 1073.

Many spiral galaxies, our own Milky Way included, form bar-like structures. These are believed to originate from gas funneled into the center of the galaxy by gravitational density waves. This can serve to provide material for new stars, as well as feed supermassive black holes present in almost every galaxy. It is also thought that the bar structure is a sign of a galaxy’s age, as the form is more often seen in older galaxies.

Image from NASA, information from ESA.

[gingadan]

NGC 1073 (Barred Spiral Galaxy)  (C) NASA

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