The Hubble telescope detects a “hidden galaxy” behind the Milky Way

This new view of spiral galaxy IC 342, also known as Caldwell 5, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope was launched by NASA on May 11, 2022. Here is a magnified view. (Photo credit: NASA, ESA, P. Sell (University of Florida) and P. Kaaret (University of Iowa); Image Processing: G. Kober (NASA Goddard / Catholic University of America))

Here is the “hidden galaxy” that appears.

This is glorious Hubble Space Telescope The image shows the spiral galaxy IC 342, also known as Caldwell 5. Whatever you call it galaxyScientists have found it somewhat difficult to notice due to obstacles in its path, which earned it its nickname “invisible,” according to NASA.

It appears near the equator Milky WayThe pearly disk, filled with dense cosmic gas, black dust, and bright stars obscuring our view.” Statement (Opens in a new tab).

Related: The best Hubble Space Telescope pictures ever!

The Hubble Space Telescope’s full view of the spiral galaxy IC 342, also known as Caldwell 5. The galaxy is 11 million light-years away and 50,000 light-years wide. (Photo credit: NASA, ESA, P. Sell (University of Florida) and P. Kaaret (University of Iowa); Image Processing: G. Kober (NASA Goddard / Catholic University of America))

The Hubble telescope can look through the debris, to an extent, because the telescope has infrared capabilities. Infrared light is scattered less by dust and allows a clearer view of the galaxy beyond interstellar matter.

This shimmering front view of the galactic center displays tendrils of dust intertwined in dramatic arms that wrap around a bright core of hot gas and starsNASA wrote about the photo.

“This nucleus is a specific type of region called a H II nucleus — a region of atomic hydrogen ionization. These regions are the cradle of stellar energy where thousands of stars can form in a few million years.”

NASA said that blue stars ionize or activate hydrogen surrounding their birthplace due to the emission of ultraviolet radiation. The galaxy would be one of the brightest in our sky if there wasn’t a lot of dust in its path.

IC 342 is also relatively close in galactic terms, only 11 million light years from Earth. Our galaxy is about half the diameter of our Milky Way (its diameter is 50,000 light years), which also makes it relatively large.

Hubble has been in space for a generation and has photographed this galaxy several times. You can also discover his pictures of IC 342 in 2017 (Opens in a new tab) And 2010 (Opens in a new tab).

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