Hubble Captures Swirling Galaxy NGC 3285B and a Distant Supernova
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled a breathtaking image of the swirling spiral galaxy NGC 3285B, a celestial neighbor located 137 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra. This magnificent view not only showcases the intricate beauty of a spiral galaxy but also captures a fleeting cosmic event: a Type Ia supernova, designated SN 2023xqm, visible as a distinct blue-ish dot on the galaxy's left edge.
A Glimpse into the Hydra Constellation
NGC 3285B resides within the vast constellation Hydra, also known as The Water Snake. Hydra is a titan among constellations, boasting the largest area of all 88 constellations that map our night sky. It's not only expansive in area but also in length, stretching an impressive 100 degrees across the celestial sphere – a distance that would take nearly 200 full Moons placed end-to-end to cover.
NGC 3285B and the Hydra I Cluster
NGC 3285B is a member of the Hydra I cluster, a significant grouping of hundreds to thousands of galaxies bound together by the pervasive force of gravity. At the heart of this cluster lie two colossal elliptical galaxies, each approximately 150,000 light-years across, making them about 50% larger than our own Milky Way galaxy. NGC 3285B, situated on the periphery of this grand assembly, has recently captured scientific attention for a specific reason.
Illuminating Cosmic Distances with Supernovae
The galaxy hosted a Type Ia supernova in 2023, named SN 2023xqm. These explosive events occur when a dense stellar remnant, a white dwarf, undergoes a catastrophic detonation, triggering a surge of nuclear fusion that temporarily outshines the Sun by roughly 5 billion times.
Hubble's observation of NGC 3285B is part of a larger research program focused on 100 Type Ia supernovae. By examining these stellar explosions across ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared wavelengths, scientists aim to better understand the influence of distance and interstellar dust on supernova observations. This detailed analysis will be crucial for refining the accuracy of cosmic distance measurements, a fundamental aspect of understanding the scale and expansion of our universe.
Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. J. Foley (UC Santa Cruz)
