VST image of kilonova in NGC 4993

This image from the VST telescope at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile shows the galaxy NGC 4993, about 130 million light-years from Earth. The galaxy is not itself unusual, but it contains something never before witnessed, the aftermath of the explosion of a pair of merging neutron stars, a rare event called a kilonova (seen just above and slightly to the left of the centre of the galaxy). This merger also produced gravitational waves and gamma rays, both of which were detected by LIGO-Virgo and Fermi/INTEGRAL respectively.

Credit:

ESO/A. Grado

About the Image

Id:eso1733m
Release date:16 October 2017, 16:00
Related releases:eso1733
Size:1524 x 1088 px

About the Object

Type:Early Universe : Star : Type : Variable
Local Universe : Galaxy
Constellation:Hydra
Category:Stars

Image Formats

Large JPEG
320.1 KB
Screensize JPEG
119.1 KB

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1024x768
144.4 KB
1280x1024
272.1 KB
1600x1200
357.7 KB
1920x1200
430.2 KB
2048x1536
576.4 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):13 9 47.71
Position (Dec):-23° 23' 2.39"
Field of view:5.33 x 3.81 arcminutes
Orientation:North is -0.0° left of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
G
480 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM
Optical
R
625 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM
Optical
Z
910 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM
Optical
I
770 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM