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| This captivating image presents a fresh perspective of the spiral galaxy Messier 90, captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. |
A stunning new image of the spiral galaxy Messier 90 (M90) has been captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, showcasing the galaxy’s intricate structures and star-forming regions. Located in the constellation Virgo, M90 is approximately 55 million light-years from Earth.
This latest image builds on earlier observations made with Hubble’s Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) in 1994, which displayed a distinctive stair-step pattern due to its sensor layout. In 2009, WFPC2 was replaced by the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), which was used for the recent images taken in 2019 and 2023. The new data reveals M90’s dusty disk, gaseous halo, and bright core in much greater detail.
M90’s inner regions are active sites of star formation, visible in red H-alpha light from glowing nebulae. As a member of the Virgo Cluster, M90’s trajectory brought it near the cluster’s center around 300 million years ago. The dense gas environment exerted a strong influence on M90, stripping away vast amounts of gas and resulting in a diffuse halo. This loss of gas hampers new star formation, foreshadowing a gradual fading of the galaxy.
Interestingly, M90 is one of the few galaxies that is moving closer to Earth, as its orbit through the Virgo cluster accelerates. While many other galaxies in the cluster are moving away, M90’s path is bringing it toward us. Over billions of years, it is expected to evolve into a lenticular galaxy, marking a significant transformation in its structure.
This remarkable observation underscores the dynamic nature of galaxies and their interactions within clusters, offering insights into the life cycles of these celestial bodies.
