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Hubble looks at sideways NGC 4710 (full)

Hubble looks at sideways NGC 4710 (full)


Date: 17 November 2009
Satellite: Hubble Space Telescope
Depicts: NGC 4710
Copyright: NASA & ESA

Still an astrophysical mystery, the evolution of the bulges in spiral galaxies led astronomers to the edge-on galaxy NGC 4710. When staring directly at the centre of the galaxy, one can detect a faint, ethereal "X'-shaped structure. Such a feature, which astronomers call a "boxy" or "peanut-shaped" bulge, is due to the vertical motions of the stars in the galaxy's bar and is only evident when the galaxy is seen edge-on. This curiously shaped puff is often observed in spiral galaxies with small bulges and open arms, but is less common in spirals with arms tightly wrapped around a more prominent bulge, such as NGC 4710.
Last Update: 1 September 2019
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21-Dec-2024 14:30 UT

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