Galaxy NGC 1808 is a barred spiral galaxy located some 40 million light years away toward the constellation Columba. The galaxy is undergoing an episode of intense star formation near its very center, perhaps triggered by rotation of the bar or by material transported inward along the bar. In this image, the yellow light is produced by old, low-mass stars, and the blue light is produced by glowing hydrogen powered by young, high-mass stars. The new star formation is organized into clusters of between 10 and 100 light years in diameter, and filaments of dark, obscuring dust are mixed in with the gas and stars. The image shows a region that is about 3000 light years across.

ORDER INFORMATION
View Order

Image Galleries: Gallery of the Hubble Space Telescope | David Malin's Astronomical Journey | Dennis Kunkel's Microscopic World | Astronomy Gallery | Earthshine/Moonshine by Matt BenDaniel | Robert Gendler's Window on the Universe | Earth from Space | Light Years by Russell Croman | Ted Kinsman's World of Science | A Cosmic Perspective by Akira Fuji | As Viewed from Earth by David Miller