Universe
ID: 30994
Messier 82 (M82), or the Cigar Galaxy, is an edge-on spiral undergoing a massive burst of star formation in its core. Many thousands of stars, and their surrounding gas and dust, have been stirred up. These stars are expelling violent winds that are blowing gas and dust out of the galaxy. The only hint of this in visible light are fountains of hot hydrogen gas streaming out of its disk. In infrared, the burst becomes clearer as we see massive amounts of dust also blowing out of the center.
Optical: In visible light the edge-on disk highlights the geysers of hot gas shooting out of M82's core.
Infrared: Infrared light lets us see this galaxy's full disk of stars and reveals volumes of dust (shown in red) carried along with the hot gas.
X-ray: Chandra's X-ray image reveals gas that has been heated to millions of degrees by the violent outflow.
Messier 82: Cigar Galaxy in Multiple Wavelengths
Optical: In visible light the edge-on disk highlights the geysers of hot gas shooting out of M82's core.
Infrared: Infrared light lets us see this galaxy's full disk of stars and reveals volumes of dust (shown in red) carried along with the hot gas.
X-ray: Chandra's X-ray image reveals gas that has been heated to millions of degrees by the violent outflow.
Related
Credits
Visualizer:
Greg Bacon (STScI)
Image Processing:
Jay Gallagher III (University of Wisconsin)
Matt Mountain (STScI)
Phil Puxley (NSF)
Charles Engelbracht (The University of Arizona)
Dave Strickland (Johns Hopkins University)
Technical Support:
Leann Johnson (Global Science and Technology, Inc.)
Greg Bacon (STScI)
Image Processing:
Jay Gallagher III (University of Wisconsin)
Matt Mountain (STScI)
Phil Puxley (NSF)
Charles Engelbracht (The University of Arizona)
Dave Strickland (Johns Hopkins University)
Technical Support:
Leann Johnson (Global Science and Technology, Inc.)
Please give credit for this item to:
Video: NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STScI)
Image Credits:
-
Optical: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Acknowledgment: J. Gallagher (University of Wisconsin), M. Mountain (STScI), and P. Puxley (NSF) - Infrared: NASA, JPL-Caltech, C. Engelbracht (University of Arizona)
- X-ray: NASA, CXC, JHU, D. Strickland
Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/30994
Missions:
Chandra X-Ray Observatory
Hubble
Spitzer Space Telescope
Data Used:
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.
Keywords:
SVS >> Dust
SVS >> Galaxy
SVS >> Gas
SVS >> HDTV
SVS >> Hydrogen
SVS >> Infrared
SVS >> Hyperwall
SVS >> Star
NASA Science >> Universe
SVS >> Star Formation
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/30994
Missions:
Chandra X-Ray Observatory
Hubble
Spitzer Space Telescope
Data Used:
Spitzer Space Telescope
NASA JPL/Cal TechChandra/Telescope System
Hubble Space Telescope
Observed DataKeywords:
SVS >> Dust
SVS >> Galaxy
SVS >> Gas
SVS >> HDTV
SVS >> Hydrogen
SVS >> Infrared
SVS >> Hyperwall
SVS >> Star
NASA Science >> Universe
SVS >> Star Formation
