ESO 269-57
Encyclopedia
ESO 269-57 is a barred spiral galaxy
approximately 155 million light-year
s away in the constellation
Centaurus
. It is a member of a well-known cluster of galaxies seen in this direction. The galaxy received this designation when it was catalogued during the first European Southern Observatory
(ESO) Survey of the Southern Sky in the 1970's.
In April 1999, the European Southern Observatory
(ESO) took a look at ESO 269-57 and shows the complex structure of it, with an inner "ring", of several tightly wound spiral arms, surrounded by two outer ones that appear to split into several branches. Many blue and diffuse objects are visible - most are star-forming regions. The velocity is just over 3100 km/s, indicating the distance. It extends over about 4 arcmin in the sky, corresponding to nearly 200,000 light-years across.
Barred spiral galaxy
A barred spiral galaxy is a spiral galaxy with a central bar-shaped structure composed of stars. Bars are found in approximately two-thirds of all spiral galaxies...
approximately 155 million light-year
Light-year
A light-year, also light year or lightyear is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres...
s away in the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
Centaurus
Centaurus
Centaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:...
. It is a member of a well-known cluster of galaxies seen in this direction. The galaxy received this designation when it was catalogued during the first European Southern Observatory
European Southern Observatory
The European Southern Observatory is an intergovernmental research organisation for astronomy, supported by fifteen countries...
(ESO) Survey of the Southern Sky in the 1970's.
In April 1999, the European Southern Observatory
European Southern Observatory
The European Southern Observatory is an intergovernmental research organisation for astronomy, supported by fifteen countries...
(ESO) took a look at ESO 269-57 and shows the complex structure of it, with an inner "ring", of several tightly wound spiral arms, surrounded by two outer ones that appear to split into several branches. Many blue and diffuse objects are visible - most are star-forming regions. The velocity is just over 3100 km/s, indicating the distance. It extends over about 4 arcmin in the sky, corresponding to nearly 200,000 light-years across.