Bright Star Regulus near the Leo 1 Dwarf Galaxy
影像版權與提供: Russell Croman
Explanation:
The star on the upper left is so bright it is sometimes hard to notice the galaxy on the lower right. Both the star, Regulus, and the galaxy, Leo I, can be found within one degree of each other toward the constellation of Leo. Regulus is part of a multiple star system, with a close companion double star visible to the upper right of the young main sequence star. Leo I is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy in the Local Group of galaxies dominated by our Milky Way Galaxy and M31. Leo I is thought to be the most distant of the several known small satellite galaxies orbiting our Milky Way Galaxy. Regulus is located about 75 light years away, in contrast to Leo 1 which is located about 800,000 light years away.
說明:
這幅影像左上角的恆星是如此的明亮，因此有時很難辨認出位在右下角落裡的星系。恆星軒轅十四 (Regulus)和星系獅子座I (Leo I)都位在獅子座內，兩者相距不到一度。軒轅十四是一個多星系統的成員，在這顆年輕主序星的右上方可以見到它鄰近的雙星伴星。在由我們銀河系和M31所主控的本星系群裡，獅子座I是其中的一個圓球狀矮星系。在繞行我們銀河系運行的數個已知的小衛星星系中，獅子座I可能是最遙遠的。軒轅十四距離我們約有75光年，相較之下，獅子座I則大約有80萬光年遠。
資料來源: Scientific American
Department of Physics, NCKU
