NGC 4303 as seen with the VLT and ALMA at several wavelengths of light

This image of the nearby galaxy NGC 4303 was obtained by combining observations taken with the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) and with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), in which ESO is a partner. NGC 4303 is a spiral galaxy, with a bar of stars and gas at its centre, located approximately 55 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. The image is a combination of observations conducted at different wavelengths of light to map stellar populations and gas. ALMA’s observations are represented in brownish-orange tones and highlight the clouds of cold molecular gas that provide the raw material from which stars form. The MUSE data show up mainly in gold and blue. The bright golden glows map warm clouds of mainly ionised hydrogen, oxygen and sulphur gas, marking the presence of newly born stars, while the bluish regions reveal the distribution of slightly older stars.   

The image was taken as part of the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS (PHANGS) project, which is making high-resolution observations of nearby galaxies with telescopes operating across the electromagnetic spectrum.

Crediti:

ESO/ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/PHANGS

Riguardo l'immagine

Identificazione:eso2110g
Tipo:Osservazione
Data di rilascio:Venerdì 16 Luglio 2021 14:00
Notizie relative:eso2110
Grandezza:888 x 884 px

Riguardo all'oggetto

Nome:NGC 4303
Tipo:Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Constellation:Virgo
Categoria:Galaxies

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Coordinate

Position (RA):12 21 54.89
Position (Dec):4° 28' 24.88"
Field of view:2.96 x 2.95 arcminutes
Orientazione:Il Nord è a -0.0° a sinistra della verticale

Colori e filtri

BandaLunghezza d'ondaTelescopio
Ottico
G
475 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Ottico
OIII
499 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Ottico
R
625 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Millimetro
CO [2–1]
1.2 cmAtacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array
Band 6
Ottico
SII
673 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Ottico
I
775 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Ottico
H-alpha
656 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE