A cosmic question in NGC 4696
This picture, taken by Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys, shows NGC 4696, the largest galaxy in the Centaurus Cluster.
The huge dust lane, around 30 000 light-years across, that sweeps across the face of the galaxy makes NGC 4696 look different from most other elliptical galaxies. Viewed at certain wavelengths, strange thin filaments of ionised hydrogen are visible within it. In this picture, these structures are visible as a subtle marbling effect across the galaxy’s bright centre.
Credit:ESA/Hubble and NASA
About the Image
Id: | heic1013a |
Type: | Observation |
Release date: | 12 August 2010, 12:00 |
Related releases: | heic1013 |
Size: | 3864 x 1820 px |
About the Object
Name: | NGC 4696 |
Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Elliptical |
Distance: | 120 million light years |
Constellation: | Centaurus |
Category: | Galaxies |
Wallpapers
1024x768
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Coordinates
Position (RA): | 12 48 46.12 |
Position (Dec): | -41° 19' 15.36" |
Field of view: | 3.22 x 1.52 arcminutes |
Orientation: | North is 223.8° left of vertical |
Colours & filters
Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
---|---|---|
Optical B | 435 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
Optical Pseudogreen (B+I) |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS | |
Infrared I | 814 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |