Galaxy NGC 3982
A team of European astronomers is using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to look back in time. They have imaged the spiral galaxy NGC 3982 and hundreds of other galaxies in the hope that one of the millions of stars in these images will some day explode as a supernova. They can then look back and pinpoint the exact star that has exploded. Only two such supernova 'mother stars' have ever been identified.
Credit:Image credit: European Space Agency and Stephen Smartt (University of Cambridge)
About the Image
| Id: | heic0311a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 24 September 2003, 15:00 |
| Related releases: | heic0311 |
| Size: | 1083 x 992 px |
About the Object
| Name: | NGC 3982 |
| Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral |
| Distance: | 70 million light years |
| Constellation: | Ursa Major |
| Category: | Galaxies |
Wallpapers
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 11 56 27.94 |
| Position (Dec): | 55° 7' 31.51" |
| Field of view: | 1.80 x 1.65 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 102.3° right of vertical |
View in ESASky:
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical B | 438 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFPC2 |
| Optical V | 555 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFPC2 |
| Optical R | 625 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFPC2 |