View Single Post
  #1  
Old 09-12-2012, 05:02 PM
madbadgalaxyman's Avatar
madbadgalaxyman (Robert)
Registered User

madbadgalaxyman is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 936
M65 and M66 - GALEX image of the day

Here is a really "hot" (both metaphorically speaking, and in actual physical measurements....) image of M66 and M65 in the Far ultraviolet and Near ultraviolet.
(GALEX satellite observation)

The spiral arms of these galaxies, which are so difficult to characterize from observations at visible wavelengths, are here plainly outlined in blue and white, which traces far-ultraviolet light coming from young and luminous stars.

This is a most instructive image, in terms of deciphering the morphology of these two galaxies.
For instance there is some very odd detail in the shorter and broader of the two spiral arms of M66!

cheers, madbadgalaxyman

Click image for larger version

Name:	M65_M66_galex.jpg
Views:	80
Size:	199.6 KB
ID:	128041

P.S.
Mr V.Bad Galaxy Man has had an ongoing argument (with himself!!!) regarding whether or not M66 is meaningfully perturbed by one or more nearby galaxies.....I think the GALEX image supports the case that there is at least a mild perturbation.
______________________________

Bad Galaxy Man's question of the day:

Is there anything at all that is unusual about M65 ???

_____________________________

Added, in later edit.
A larger FUV+NUV image of M66, downloaded from GalexView:

Click image for larger version

Name:	M66_FUV+NUV__with GalexView.jpg
Views:	21
Size:	100.7 KB
ID:	128455

The brightest FUV knot may be a star cloud, or it may be something more unusual; it is unusual to find a really bright FUV and blue feature at this position in a non-dwarf barred spiral galaxy.
_______________________

Last edited by madbadgalaxyman; 17-12-2012 at 10:30 AM. Reason: more
Reply With Quote