Anne’s Picture of the Day: Spiral Galaxy NGC 1483

(Before It's News)

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January 22, 2013

NGC 1483, a barred spiral galaxy in Dorado

Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

NGC 1483 is a barred spiral galaxy located about 40 million light-years away from Earth in the southern constellation of Dorado, while moving away from us at roughly 1143 kilometers per second.

Barred spiral galaxies are so named because of the prominent bar-shaped structures found in their center. They form about two thirds of all spiral galaxies, including the Milky Way. Recent studies suggest that bars may be a common stage in the formation of spiral galaxies, and may indicate that a galaxy has reached full maturity.

NGC 1483 is a member of the Dorado group of galaxies, a loose group comprising an estimated 70 galaxies. The Dorado group is much larger than the Local Group that includes the Milky Way (and which contains around 30 galaxies) and approaches the size of a galaxy cluster. Galaxy clusters are the largest groupings of galaxies (and indeed the largest structures of any type) in the Universe to be held together by their gravity.

The nebulous galaxy NGC 1483 shows a bright central bulge and diffuse spiral arms with distinct star-forming regions. In the background, many other distant galaxies can be seen.

This image was taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.

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