Explanation:
This dusty island universe is one of the brightest spiral
galaxies in the sky.
Seen nearly edge-on, NGC 253 lies
a mere 13 million light-years
away and is the largest member of the
Sculptor
Group of galaxies, neighbor to our own
local
galaxy group.
The remarkably sharp,
close-up view is based on
data from the Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys
(ACS).
Beginning on
the left near the galaxy's core, the panorama
follows filaments of dust, interstellar gas, and even individual
stars toward the galaxy's edge at the far right, a magnificent vista
spanning nearly 50,000 light-years.
The image data are
part of ANGST, the
ACS Nearby
Galaxy Survey Treasury, a program to explore our
cosmic backyard.
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