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Credit & Copyright: NASA,
ESA, Hubble;
Processing & Copyright:
William Ostling
(The Astronomy Enthusiast)
Explanation:
Why doesn't the nearby galaxy create a
gravitational lensing effect on the background galaxy?
It does, but since both
galaxies
are so nearby, the angular shift is much smaller than the angular
sizes
of the galaxies themselves.
The featured
Hubble image of
NGC 3314
shows two large spiral galaxies which happen to
line up exactly.
The foreground spiral
NGC 3314a appears nearly face-on with its
pinwheel shape defined by young bright star clusters.
Against the glow of the background galaxy NGC 3314b, though, dark swirling lanes
of
interstellar dust can also be seen tracing the nearer spiral's structure.
Both galaxies appear on the edge of the
Hydra Cluster of Galaxies,
a cluster that is about 200 million light years away.
Gravitational lens distortions
are much easier to see when the
lensing galaxy is smaller and further away.
Then, the background galaxy may even be distorted into a
ring around the nearer.
Fast gravitational lens flashes due to stars in the foreground galaxy
momentarily magnifying the light from stars in the background galaxy might one
day be visible in future observing campaigns with high-resolution telescopes.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: NGC 3314 - galaxies
Publications with words: NGC 3314 - galaxies
See also:
- APOD: 2024 April 15 Á The Cigar Galaxy from Hubble and Webb
- APOD: 2024 March 20 Á The Eyes in Markarians Galaxy Chain
- APOD: 2023 August 2 Á M82: Galaxy with a Supergalactic Wind
- In the Heart of the Virgo Cluster
- Comet Leonard and the Whale Galaxy
- The Hubble Ultra Deep Field in Light and Sound
- M82: Starburst Galaxy with a Superwind