Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have obtained a remarkable new view of the small spiral galaxy NGC 298.
NGC 298 is located approximately 89 million light-years away in the constellation of Cetus.
This spiral galaxy was discovered on September 27, 1864 by the German astronomer Albert Marth.
Also known as LEDA 3250, NGC 298 has diameter of around 40,000 light-years.
It is situated close to the celestial equator and, as such, it is at least partly visible from both hemispheres in certain times of the year.
“NGC 298 appears isolated in this image — only a handful of distant galaxies and foreground stars accompany the lonely galaxy,” Hubble astronomers said in a statement.
While NGC 298 seems peaceful, in 1986 it was host to a Type II supernova called SN 1986K.
Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) captured the galaxy as part of an investigation into the origins of Type II supernovae.
“All Type II supernovae are produced by the collapse and subsequent explosion of young, massive stars, but they can produce a spectacular diversity of brightnesses and spectral features,” the researchers said.
“We suspect that the diversity of this cosmic firework show might be due to gas and dust being stripped from the stars that will eventually produce Type II supernovae.”
“Observing the region surrounding supernova explosions can reveal traces of the progenitor star’s history preserved in this lost mass, as well as revealing any companion stars that survived the supernova.”
“Hubble used the brief periods between scheduled observations to explore the aftermath of a number of Type II supernovae, hoping to piece together the relationship between Type II supernovae and the stellar systems which give rise to them.”
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