The superwind galaxy NGC 4666

This visible light image, made with the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile, shows the galaxy NGC 4666 in the centre. It is a starburst galaxy, about 80 million light-years from Earth, in which particularly intense star formation is taking place. The starburst is thought to be caused by gravitational interactions with neighbouring galaxies, including NGC 4668, visible to the lower left. A combination of supernova explosions and strong winds from massive stars in the starburst region drives a vast outflow of gas from the galaxy into space — a so-called “superwind”. NGC 4666 had previously been observed in X-rays by the ESA XMM-Newton space telescope, and these visible light observations were made to target background objects detected in the earlier X-ray images.

This picture, which covers a field of 16 by 12 arcminutes, is a combination of twelve CCD frames, 67 megapixels each, taken through blue, green and red filters.

Credit:

ESO/J. Dietrich

About the Image

Id:eso1036a
Type:Observation
Release date:1 September 2010, 12:00
Related releases:eso1036
Size:3946 x 3168 px

About the Object

Name:NGC 4666
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy : Activity : Starburst
Distance:80 million light years
Constellation:Virgo
Category:Galaxies

Image Formats

Large JPEG
4.7 MB
Screensize JPEG
130.7 KB

Zoomable


Wallpapers

1024x768
159.3 KB
1280x1024
263.0 KB
1600x1200
404.9 KB
1920x1200
534.1 KB
2048x1536
757.1 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):12 45 8.68
Position (Dec):0° 27' 43.36"
Field of view:15.64 x 12.55 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.0° right of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
B
451 nmMPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
WFI
Optical
V
539 nmMPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
WFI
Optical
R
651 nmMPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
WFI