The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has produced an outstanding image of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 3285B.
This Hubble image shows NGC 3285B, a barred spiral galaxy some 137 million light-years away in the constellation of Hydra. The color image was made from separate exposures taken in the ultraviolet and infrared regions of the spectrum with Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). It is based on data obtained through seven filters. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / R.J. Foley, UC Santa Cruz.
NGC 3285B is located approximately 137 million light-years away in the constellation of Hydra.
Also known as LEDA 31293, ESO 501-18 or IRAS 10322-2723, the galaxy has a diameter of 100,000 light-years.
NGC 3285B has a disk and several swirling arms. The galaxy’s core is large and shines brightly gold, while the spiral arms are a paler and faint reddish color.
It is a member of the NGC 3312 galaxy group (LGG 210) and the Hydra I galaxy cluster.
“NGC 3285B is a member of the Hydra I cluster, one of the largest galaxy clusters in the nearby Universe,” the Hubble astronomers said in a statement.
“Galaxy clusters are collections of hundreds to thousands of galaxies that are bound to one another by gravity.”
“The Hydra I cluster is anchored by two giant elliptical galaxies at its center.”
“Each of these galaxies is about 150,000 light-years across, making them about 50% larger than our home galaxy, the Milky Way.”
NGC 3285B sits on the outskirts of the Hydra I cluster, far from the massive galaxies at the center.
“This galaxy drew Hubble’s attention because it hosted a Type Ia supernova in 2023,” the astronomers said.
“Type Ia supernovae happen when a type of condensed stellar core called a white dwarf detonates, igniting a sudden burst of nuclear fusion that briefly shines about 5 billion times brighter than the Sun.”
“The supernova, named SN 2023xqm, is visible here as a blue-ish dot on the left edge of the galaxy’s disk.”
“Hubble observed NGC 3285B as part of an observing program that targeted 100 Type Ia supernovae.”
“By viewing each of these supernovae in ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared light, we aim to disentangle the effects of distance and dust, both of which can make a supernova appear redder than it actually is.”
“This program will help refine cosmic distance measurements that rely on observations of Type Ia supernovae.”