MUSE view of the ram-pressure stripped galaxy ESO 137-001

The MUSE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope has provided researchers with the best view yet of a spectacular cosmic crash. Observations reveal for the first time the motion of gas as it is ripped out of the galaxy ESO 137-001 as it ploughs at high speed into a vast galaxy cluster. The results are the key to the solution of a long-standing mystery — why star formation switches off in galaxy clusters.

This picture is in close-to-natural colours, with the red patches being glowing clouds of hydrogen gas.

Note that the upper-left and lower-right parts of this image were filled in using Hubble data.

Credit:

ESO/M. Fumagalli

About the Image

Id:eso1437b
Type:Observation
Release date:10 November 2014, 01:01
Related releases:eso1437
Size:616 x 590 px

About the Object

Name:ESO 137-001
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Interacting
Constellation:Triangulum Australe
Category:Galaxies

Image Formats

Large JPEG
164.6 KB
Screensize JPEG
246.3 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):16 13 22.20
Position (Dec):-60° 45' 15.24"
Field of view:2.06 x 1.97 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.0° right of vertical

Colours & filters

BandTelescope
Very Large Telescope
MUSE