The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope has created a stunning thousand-color image of the Sculptor Galaxy, located 11 billion light-years away. The galaxy can be viewed in the Southern Hemisphere with binoculars and is one of the closest galaxies to Earth that can be resolved in detail.
Led by ESO researcher Enrico Congiu, astronomers used the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer instrument on VLT to observe the galaxy for 50 hours and stitch together over 100 exposures. The resulting color image reveals previously hidden parts of the galaxy, allowing researchers to analyze its composition, age, and internal structure.
The galaxy’s unique position allows scientists to study it in incredible detail, yet still see it as a whole system. Congiu notes that “the Sculptor Galaxy is in a sweet spot” for research, being close enough to resolve its internal structure but large enough to be studied as a whole.
The team also produced a false-color composition showing the light released by different gases in the galaxy, including newborn stars and a black hole at its center. This new map of Sculptor will enable researchers to explore how gas flows, changes composition, and forms stars across the galaxy, shedding light on the mysterious processes that shape these complex systems.
The study will be published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, providing insights into the intricate workings of galaxies like Sculptor 253.
Source: https://mymodernmet.com/eso-sculptor-galaxy-photo