Posted on 12/02/2024 11:55:26 AM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: This galaxy is unusual for how many stars it seems that you can see. Stars are so abundantly evident in this deep exposure of the spiral galaxy NGC 300 because so many of these stars are bright blue and grouped into resolvable bright star clusters. Additionally, NGC 300 is so clear because it is one of the closest spiral galaxies to Earth, as light takes only about 6 million years to get here. Of course, galaxies are composed of many more faint stars than bright, and even more of a galaxy's mass is attributed to unseen dark matter. NGC 300 spans nearly the same amount of sky as the full moon and is visible with a small telescope toward the southern constellation of the Sculptor. The featured image was captured in October from Rio Hurtado, Chile and is a composite of over 20 hours of exposure.
If I had to guess, the orange part is the older, original galaxy. The orange or reddish stars are older stars. Then it captured a dust cloud or a younger galaxy that got torn apart and has it's own orbital plane. The blue stars are much younger stars. I think the orbital planes will pull on each other and will eventually form a single plane, probably in between the two existing planes.
If an old galaxy can surround itself with young stars, then so can I. 👍 👴
A high school friend had a white convertible. Man did we have fun in that thing!!
I said the same thing walking into a cozy restaurant in Hollywood...
Sounds like a plan.
Wow! I wonder how many solar systems are in it with a planet like Earth.
During a total solar eclipse street lights turn on and it becomes noticeably colder...
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