Hubble Telescope Takes Breathtaking Image Of Very Hard To Spot 'Hidden Galaxy'

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured yet another marvel of space - the spiral galaxy IC 342, also known as Caldwell 5. The galaxy captured by Hubble is situated 11 million light-years away from Earth.

With this image, we have a face-on view of the galaxy's centre that shows dust wrapped in a spiral formation of stars and gases.

Hubble

Why is the galaxy "hidden"?

The Caldwell 5 has been nicknamed the "Hidden Galaxy" because it is difficult to spot, NASA wrote.

Even though it has a 8.4 magnitude of brightness, the galaxy is obscured by thick gases, dust, and bright stars.

A hidden galaxy lies near the equator of the Milky Way¡¯s disk, which is crowded with thick cosmic gas, dark dust, and glowing stars that obscure our view. @NASAHubble captured this view of IC 342, also known as Caldwell 5, ~11 million light-years away. https://t.co/bC46f9pgZn pic.twitter.com/IVJX3tMj60

¡ª NASA Exoplanets (@NASAExoplanets) May 11, 2022

In fact, if it weren't hidden by cosmic matter, the Hidden Galaxy would be one of the brightest galaxies in our sky. Spread across 50,000 light-years and billions of years old, the galaxy is rather close to the Milky Way at a distance of 11 million light-years.

Also read: Astronomers Reveal First Image Of The Black Hole In Milky Way Galaxy's Heart

The Hidden Galaxy was first discovered in the 1890s and since then, it has piqued the interest of astronomers who are always striving to get clearer, more focused images of cosmic entities.

What is the galaxy hiding?

The galaxy's core is peculiar, NASA says. Called the H II nucleus, the core is made up of atomic hydrogen that has become ionised. This means it has a very high rate of producing stars. Thousands of stars can form in this core over a couple million years.

Milky Way Galaxy - NASA

In the northern hemisphere, Caldwell 5 may be seen using a telescope in the clear night sky during late autumn and early winter. For those in the southern hemisphere, the galaxy would be visible to only those closer to the equator during late spring or early summer.

Also read: Indian Astronomers Discover A 'Ghost-Like' Galaxy Hiding In Our Cosmic Backyard

While the Hubble continues to offer us glimpses into the mind-blowing workings of space, its successor, the James Webb Telescope could take us farther back in time and reveal the secrets of how the universe may have formed.

Representative image of a galaxy/Unsplash

What do you think about this breathtaking view of this Hidden Galaxy as captured by Hubble? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

References

O¡¯Neill, M. (2022, May 17). Hubble Spies an Exquisite Hidden Galaxy. SciTechDaily.

Devdiscourse News Desk. (2022, May 12). NASA Hubble spots hidden galaxy about 11 million light-years from Earth: See pic | Science-Environment. Devdiscourse.