NASA / ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope observes spiral galaxy NGC 4900 and what appears to be a massive star sitting almost right next to each other. However, looks can deceive, as the latter is actually a great distance from the shimmering galaxy.
More specifically, the distance spans 7,109 light-years, while NGC 4900 is situated around 45 million light-years from Earth. This particular image combines data from Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys, and the older Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2, which was in service from 1993 to 2009. In other words, the data used for this image was taken more than 20 years apart for two different observing programs.
- LEGO NASA Space Set - This adult LEGO set features the Space Shuttle Discovery and the Hubble Space Telescope from NASA’s 1990 STS-31 mission,...
- Solar System Exploration - Unlock the mysteries of our solar system with this engaging 2,354-piece project, packed with authentic details and...
- Shuttle Features Galore - The space shuttle model has an opening payload bay, retractable landing gear, opening cockpit, moving elevons, space arm,...
Researchers laid the groundwork for studying future supernovae by collecting images of more than 150 nearby galaxies. When researchers detect a supernova in one of these galaxies, they can refer to these images, examining the star at the location of the supernova. Identifying a supernova progenitor star in pre-explosion images gives valuable information about how, when, and why supernovae occur,” said the NASA Hubble Mission Team.
