• Welcome to Orpington Astronomical Society.
 

News:

New version SMF 2.1.4 installed. You may need to clear cookies and login again...

Main Menu

Pinwheel galaxy boasts edgy star formation

Started by Rick, Sep 10, 2007, 16:03:07

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Rick

New images from the Japanese infrared space telescope AKARI have revealed giant star-forming regions on the edge of the spiral galaxy M101. The findings suggest M101 is something of a special case, since star formation more usually happens in the denser central part of spiral galaxies.

The galaxy is roughly twice the size of our own Milky Way, and located roughly 27 million light years away in the Great Bear constellation.

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/09/10/pinwheel_edgy_stars/