Galactic centre region in near-infrared from Hubble
Although best known for its visible-light images, the Hubble Space Telescope also observes over a limited range of infrared light. The galactic centre is marked by the bright patch in the lower right. Along the left side are large arcs of warm gas that have been heated by clusters of bright massive stars. In addition, Hubble uncovered many more massive stars across the region. Winds and radiation from these stars create the complex structures seen in the gas throughout the image. This sweeping panorama is the sharpest infrared picture ever made of the galactic centre region.
Credit:
NASA, ESA, Q.D. Wang (Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA) and STScI
About the Image
NASA press release
NASA caption
NASA caption
| Id: | opo0928b |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 10 November 2009, 17:00 |
| Size: | 6300 x 3000 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Sagittarius |
| Type: | • Milky Way : Galaxy : Component : Center/Core |
| Distance: | 25000 light years |
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
| Infrared Pa-alpha |
1.87 μm | Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS |
| Infrared Pa-alpha/Continuum |
1.9 μm | Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS |
