This image was created by combining data from four space telescopes.
The space agency NASA regularly captures stunning images of the universe that fascinate space enthusiasts. NASA’s Instagram handle is a treasure trove for anyone who loves watching educational videos and captivating images about Earth and space.
NASA on Sunday released stunning photos of the Pinwheel Galaxy, which is about 70 percent larger than the Milky Way and has a diameter of about 170,000 light years. It is located in the constellation Ursa Major (also known as the Big Dipper), 21 million light years away from Earth.
NASA calls this the “Galaxy Spectrum,” and an image shared on Instagram shows a spiral galaxy with yellow, red, purple, and blue stars in its center and along its spiral arms. The blue star at the tip of the spiral arm disappears into the darkness of space.
See image here:
According to NASA, the image was created by combining data from four space telescopes: the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Galaxy Evolution Explorer, allowing astronomers to capture multiple parts of the spectrum. It can be used to analyze characteristics.
NASA explained how the image was taken, writing: “The yellow shown here is visible light as seen from @NASAHubble.” The Spitzer Space Telescope shows in red the infrared light emitted where stars form. @NASAChandraXRay captures the hottest region shown in purple. There, exploding stars, gas, and matter are seen colliding with black holes. Finally, the blue region is where Galaxy Evolution Explorer depicts the ultraviolet light projected by hot young stars. ”
Reacting to the photo, one user wrote: “So amazing!” Another called it “the galactic version of Barbie” and a third wrote: “Beyond words.”
“The galaxy is too beautiful,” added a fourth person.