THE BAR'S THE STAR

Take a close look at barred spiral galaxy NCG 4731

EYE ON THE SKY HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE, 27 MAY 2024 This image shows NGC 4731, a barred spiral galaxy that lies 43 million lightyears from Earth in the constellation of Virgo. Created by applying six different filters, the picture clearly shows the galaxy's vast clouds of dust, its bright pink regions of star formation and, most clearly of all, its central bar, the long streak of light running from top left to bottom right. Barred spirals make up 60 per cent of all known galaxies – there are more of them than there are non-barred spiral and elliptical galaxies put together – but the mechanisms behind bar formation aren't yet fully understood, so despite their near-ubiquity, they remain an area of keen scientific interest. FREE BONUS CONTENT Explore a gallery…

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BBC Sky at Night United Kingdom (Digital) - 1 Issue, August 2024

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