APOD: November 14, 1997 - Irregular Galaxy Sextans A (original) (raw)

Astronomy Picture of the Day

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November 14, 1997
See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available.

Irregular Galaxy Sextans A
Credit: D. Hunter(Lowell Observatory), Z. Levay (STScI)

Explanation: Grand spiral galaxies often seem to get all the glory. Their newly formed, bright, bluestar clustersfound along beautiful, symmetricspiral armsare guaranteed to attract attention. But smallirregular galaxies form stars too, like this lovely, gumdrop-shaped galaxy,Sextans A. A member ofthe local group of galaxies which includes the massive spirals Andromeda and our ownMilky Way,Sextans A is about 10 million light years distant. The bright Milky Way foreground stars appear yellowish in this view. Beyond them lie the stars ofSextans A with tantalizingyoung blue clusters clearly visible.

Tomorrow's picture: Uranus: The Tilted Planet

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Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (USRA)
NASA Technical Rep.: Jay Norris.Specific rights apply.
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