NGC 4993 seen with Hubble
The lenticular galaxy NGC 4993 is located about 130 million light-years from Earth. On 17 August 2017 the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and the Virgo Interferometer both detected gravitational waves from the collision of two neutron stars within this galaxy. The event also resulted in a flare of light, called a kilonova, which is visible to the upper left of the galactic centre in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
Credit:NASA and ESA
About the Image
| Id: | heic1717c |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 16 October 2017, 16:00 |
| Related releases: | heic1717 |
| Size: | 1365 x 1458 px |
About the Object
| Name: | NGC 4993 |
| Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Elliptical |
| Distance: | 130 million light years |
| Constellation: | Hydra |
| Category: | Galaxies |
Wallpapers
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 13 9 47.69 |
| Position (Dec): | -23° 23' 2.49" |
| Field of view: | 1.59 x 1.70 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 22.2° left of vertical |
View in ESASky:
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical V | 606 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
| Infrared J | 1.1 μm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3 |
| Infrared H | 1.6 μm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3 |