NASA's Hubble Space Telescope examines an active galaxy near the Lion's Heart

Lina Portman2 days ago

0 1 minute read

NASA AND SPACE NEWS

At first glance, this elliptical galaxy known as Messier 105 may appear flat and uninteresting, but observations from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope show that stars near its center are moving rapidly. (NASA image)

(NASA) – At first glance, this elliptical galaxy known as Messier 105 may appear featureless and uninteresting, but observations from NASA and ESA's Hubble Space Telescope show that stars near its center are move quickly.

Astronomers have concluded that these stars revolve around a supermassive black hole with an estimated mass of 200 million Suns!

This black hole releases enormous amounts of energy as it consumes matter falling into it, making the system an active galactic core that makes the center of the galaxy shine much brighter than its surroundings.

Hubble also surprised astronomers by revealing some young stars and clusters in Messier 105, a galaxy thought to be “dead” and incapable of forming stars.

Astronomers now believe that Messier 105 forms a Sun-like star about every 10,000 years. Astronomers have also observed star-forming activity in a vast ring of hydrogen gas encircling both Messier 105 and its nearest neighbor, the lenticular galaxy NGC 3384.

Discovered in 1781, Messier 105 lies about 30 million light years away in the constellation Leo and is the brightest elliptical galaxy in the Leo I group of galaxies.

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