NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Catches 'Jellyfish' in Galactic Seascape

NASA's iconic Hubble Space Telescope just caught a "jellyfish" in a galactic seascape! This recent Hubble image shows a galaxy nicknamed the "jellyfish galaxy," characterized by trailing tentacles of stars suspended in the darkness of space.

These tentacles form as gas is stripped away from the galaxy while it moves through intergalactic space, creating trails that resemble tendrils illuminated by clusters of star formation.

Jellyfish Galaxy

Beneath the core of the galaxy, visible in blue, these tendrils give the galaxy a jellyfish-like appearance. The jellyfish galaxy in this image is called JO201 and can be found in the constellation Cetus, named after a sea monster from ancient Greek mythology. This nautical theme adds to the imagery of this stunning photograph.

The galaxy is characterized by large, faint, reddish spiral arms and a bright, reddish core. Two brighter blue spiral arms can also be seen, which are patchy with clusters of star formation.

A distinctive feature of the galaxy is the long trails of bright clusters that trail down from the lower spiral arm, resembling tendrils. The background of the image is black, with scattered small galaxies and stars, along with a larger elliptical galaxy visible in one corner.

This particular observation is part of an investigation into the sizes, masses, and ages of clumps of star formation in the tendrils of jellyfish galaxies. These galaxies are characterized by the tendrils of star formation that extend beyond the bright disk of the galaxy's core.

Tendrils of Jellyfish Galaxies

By examining the sizes, masses, and ages of clumps of star formation in the tendrils of jellyfish galaxies, astronomers aim to gain insight into the relationship between ram-pressure stripping and star formation.

The image was captured by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), a highly adaptable instrument that captures stunning images across ultraviolet, infrared, and visible wavelengths, making it responsible for many of Hubble's most breathtaking images.

The Hubble Space Telescope has been instrumental in studying the properties of galaxies and the structure of the universe. With its ability to capture high-resolution images of distant objects, it has expanded our understanding of the cosmos and has provided valuable data for astronomers.