Andromeda in ultraviolet
10 Nov 2010 by Evoluted New Media
The most distant object visible to the naked eye – the Andromeda Galaxy – has been bought into focus by University College London scientists using high-resolution ultraviolet imaging.
The most distant object visible to the naked eye – the Andromeda Galaxy – has been bought into focus by University College London scientists using high-resolution ultraviolet imaging.
 |
The Andromeda Galaxy in high resolution ultraviolet Credit: NASA/Swift/Stefan Immler (GSFC) and Erin Grand (UMCP) |
The detailed image is made up of 330 individual images in three ultraviolet colours and clearly depicts the spiral arms of the galaxy where young hot stars are being born. The image shows a region 200,000 light-years wide and 100,000 light-years high.
“It really is a spectacular image – the best ever in ultraviolet of this iconic galaxy which is very similar to our own and a companion to our Milky Way,” said Professor Alan Smith, director of UCL MSSL, “The ultraviolet light tends to show the hotter material and emphasised star formation regions and young stars.”
The images were taken by Swift-UVOT – the Ultraviolet and Optical Telescope – a 30cm by 2m long telescope on board NASA’s Swift spacecraft. It was built by scientists at UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL), who continue to be responsible for the provision of the UVOT data processing software and instrument maintenance.
