Starburst galaxy NGC 1569

by: Nasa/ESA/Hubble Heritage Team/Novapix
Reference: a-gax15-69001
Date: 2008-11-21

NGC 1569 is located in the middle of a group of about 10 galaxies centered on the spiral galaxy IC 342. Gravitational interactions among the group's galaxies may be compressing gas in NGC 1569 and igniting the star-birthing frenzy. The galaxy is forming stars at a rate more than 100 times higher than the rate in the Milky Way. This high star-formation rate has been almost continuous for the past 100 million years. Thanks to Hubble space telescope, astronomers have now measured the galaxy's distance at nearly 11 million light-years away, about 4 million light-years farther than the old distance.

Contact →