Barnard's Galaxy
Astronomers obtained this portrait of Barnard’s Galaxy using the Wide Field Imager attached to the 2.2-metre MPG/ESO telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in northern Chile. Also known as NGC 6822, this dwarf irregular galaxy is one of the Milky Way’s galactic neighbours. The dwarf galaxy has no shortage of stellar splendour and pyrotechnics. Reddish nebulae in this image reveal regions of active star formation, wherein young, hot stars heat up nearby gas clouds. Also prominent in the upper left of this new image is a striking bubble-shaped nebula. At the nebula’s centre, a clutch of massive, scorching stars send waves of matter smashing into surrounding interstellar material, generating a glowing structure that appears ring-like from our perspective. Other similar ripples of heated matter thrown out by feisty young stars are dotted across Barnard’s Galaxy.
The image was made from data obtained through four different filters (B, V, R, and H-alpha). The field of view is 35 x 34 arcmin.
ESO
About the Image
| Id: | eso0938a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 14 October 2009 |
| Related releases: | eso0938 |
| Size: | 6480 x 5868 px |
About the Object
| Name: | NGC 6822 |
| Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Irregular Local Universe : Galaxy : Size : Dwarf |
| Distance: | 2 million light years |
| Constellation: | Sagittarius |
| Category: | Galaxies Nebulae |
Image Formats
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 19 44 57.77 |
| Position (Dec): | -14° 48' 11.52" |
| Field of view: | 25.70 x 23.27 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 90.0° left of vertical |
Colours & filters
| Band | Telescope |
|---|---|
| Optical B | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical V | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical R | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical H-alpha | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |