Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Sculptor (Scl)  ·  Contains:  HD4555  ·  HD4572  ·  HD4631  ·  NGC 253  ·  Sculptor Filament  ·  Sculptor galaxy  ·  Silver Coin
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NGC 253 Showing Extensive Star Formation at its Rim, Alex Woronow

NGC 253 Showing Extensive Star Formation at its Rim

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
NGC 253 Showing Extensive Star Formation at its Rim, Alex Woronow

NGC 253 Showing Extensive Star Formation at its Rim

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Description

NGC 253 Showing Extensive Star Formation at its Rim

OTA:……………….CDK17
Camera:………….SBIG STXL11002 with AOX and FW8G (0.63 arsec/pxl)
Observatory:…. Heaven’s Mirror, Chile

EXPOSURES:     
H: 10 x 1800 sec
R: 15 x 900
G: 13 x 900
B: 16 x 900
Total exposure 17.3 hours

Image Width: 39 arc-minutes
Processed by Alex Woronow (2022) using PixInsight, Topaz, 3DLut, SWT, NbA

NGC 253 is another "star-burst" galaxy that exhibits extensive star-formation activity. As with many (most?) star-burst galaxies, the disruption of their organized spiral structures in NGC 253 has made identifying spiral arms very difficult. Instead, the galactic disk appears tumultuous and rugged. The galaxy's circumference hosts numerous blue areas. Probably these blue areas are clouds acting as reflection nebula for young, bright stars. Interspersed with the blue nebulae lie abundant red emission nebulae. This geometry suggests massive star formation at the galaxy's rim and may explain the misty halo of dust, gas, and  stars that envelop the galaxy. Most probably, the high winds accompanying the star formation have ejected this cloud from the galaxy.

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NGC 253 Showing Extensive Star Formation at its Rim, Alex Woronow