Starship Asterisk*

There doesn't seem to be very much dust in this galaxy. This gives it a lot of transparency.
Orin

I like the glouble? on the right side of the image just below what would be the middle of the image. It is best viewed by loading the image and then viewing it full size. Follow an approximate angled centerline to the right side of the image and then look slightly below.

This galaxy is 85 million ly away.
Most of the light coming from it seems to be coming from ?billions? of blue stars.
Most blue stars don't last 85 million years.

If those three facts are correct then virtually all of the stars responsible for most of the light we are seeing in this image have already exploded as supernova.

If I am right and there are billions of blue stars involved though, wouldn't that mean on the order of 100's or thousands of supernova per year. Or are there only millions of blue stars even in such a large blue galaxy?

Puzzling and awe inspiring at the same time.

Several galaxies seem to have arms well above or below their galatic plane. Could it be that a large collision, from the appropriate angle, could start the galaxy tumbling in addition to rotating?

It is probably that orbital kinetic energy is needed to stabiliz the effects of gravitational forces tending to pull the stars towards the gravitational center of the galaxies with central supermassive black holes. In this case, rotational orbits would be necessary for galgctic stability.
For spherical galaxies, since no large central black hole is presant, there is no apparent rotation other than orbital mass rotations like in globular clusters.
Have we been looking at galactic changes long enough to determine rotational effects in other galaxies or can we see them with enough clarity to determine this?

New poster - so forgive me if I break posting etiquette.

In the photograph ‘Spiral Galaxy NGC 1350’ there appears to be a filament-like object, about 1 o'clock from the galactic core, at the top of the picture.

If anyone could let me know whether this is an anomaly, or if there is some other explanation I would be very grateful.

David

If I'm looking in the right place at what I think you're seeing in the area in question, are columns of dark nebula gas and dirt moving slower and congealing behind objects that are shielding the nebula “stuff” from the high-energy stellar winds. Sort of like a shadow but also contains cooler, more dense materials.

I clicked onto the high resolution picture of the galaxy. I didn't see the filament; unless the end of one of the spiral arms. I did notice a lot of galaxies in and around the galaxy. I also noticed a straight line going through the picture at about 4o'clock.
Orin

I have cropped down the picture to give you more of a reference point at the location of the object. But due to the resolution of this, you will have to use the original large image for a better view.

http://photos.yahoo.com/dgarnot

David

I noticed a reddish tint on top of the filament. I think the object would have to be enlarged a lot more to venture a guess as to what the this may be.
Orin

more visual aid to the thread (click it):

It seems to be coming from the gold object below it. Could this be a galaxy with a stream of stars trailing? Or maybe a star in nova?
Orin

could it be hair or dirt or scratch on sensor/optics/film?

Could be makc; but look at the object below it. Looks like something is going on it's surface that could be related. I can't really tell.
Orin

Could the dark circle at the center of the end of the filament be a black hole siphoning material form its companion star?

Just below the 4 o'clock position is what appears to be the largest nebula imaginable, If it is part of that galaxy.

It is pretty small in relation to the rest of the image, and possibly distant, but hard to tell given its position in the photograph.

I did initially wonder whether it was;
a) A mark on the image, but it is not uniform or coloured in such a manner to suggest this
b) Associated with the star below it, but the curvature makes me doubt this, without the interference from some other dark mass (in astronomical terms) "close by".

Hence the query.

However, the curvature might relate to the dimmer star slightly to the right of the brighter one below. Although, in truth without a finer resolution it may be very difficult to tell.

I am, of course, interested in all of your thoughts, so please keep them coming.

David

It may be a star; but I don't believe so. Its too fuzzy; unless a star in nova. Look at Makc's inset; it looks as though there are filaments associated around it. That makes me believe that the filament is associated with the object below it.
Orin

Here's what author sais in his e-mail:

Dr. Henri Boffin wrote:Thank you for your interest in ESO images.
I am afraid that the feature you are discussing at such great length
is only a small hair or dust on the detector/mirror.
It appears so prominently because we have tried to enhance the
background galaxies.

(btw, in my image I've enchanced it even more )

We did get a lot of miles out of that speck of dust;and away from the galaxy. But what is the yellow object below the dust. Doesn't really look like a star.
Orin

Maybe Dr. Henri Boffin is a blonde......

At least now I can rest easy.

Many thanks all

David