A vast number of galaxies is seen in this Hubble infrared image of the area surrounding the space oddity, Hanny's Voorwerp. Located in the constellation Leo Minor, a faint outline of the mysterious object, which is primarily visible in oxygen light, can be seen below the large galaxy IC 2497 near the center. Leo Minor is known for its galaxy clusters, and this image is a testament to that fact. Most galaxies in this picture are spirals. Some are nearly face-on, as is the case with IC 2497 and its smaller companion to the left. Others are edge-on, as demonstrated by the multitude of elongated objects in the background. This Hubble image was taken on April 4, 2010, with the Wide Field Camera 3 infrared detector. This near-infrared view of galaxies is typical of what is to come with the James Webb Space Telescope, whose prime purpose will be to image the universe in infrared wavelengths with high resolution.
Credits
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Acknowledgment: NASA, ESA, W. Keel (University of Alabama), and the Galaxy Zoo Team| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | Hanny's Voorwerp, IC 2497 |
| R.A. Position | 09h 41m 3.79s |
| Dec. Position | 34° 43' 34.2" |
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | A name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object. |
| Object Description | The type of astronomical object. |
| R.A. Position | Right ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position. |
| Dec. Position | Declination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position. |
| Constellation | One of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears. |
| Distance | The physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs. |
| Dimensions | The physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky. |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description |
|
| Instrument | The science instrument used to produce the data. |
| Exposure Dates | The date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time. |
| Filters | The camera filters that were used in the science observations. |
| About The Image | |
| Image Credit | The primary individuals and institutions responsible for the content. |
| Publication Date | The date and time the release content became public. |
| Color Info | A brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented. |
| Orientation | The rotation of the image on the sky with respect to the north pole of the celestial sphere. |
