Hubble Observes Intense Star Formation in Spiral Galaxy NGC 1559

The Hubble Picture of the Week features the stunning barred spiral galaxy NGC 1559, located about 35 million light-years away in the constellation Reticulum. This image, last captured by Hubble in 2018, combines ten different photos taken across various wavelengths, from ultraviolet to near-infrared. Notably, the red light at 656 nanometers indicates areas of active star formation, known as H II regions, which appear in bright red and pink.

The ten images stem from six observing programs conducted from 2009 to the present, involving international teams of astronomers studying ionized gas, star formation, and more. These observations are archived for public use, facilitating both scientific research and stunning visual displays.

Additionally, the James Webb Space Telescope is also studying NGC 1559, providing deeper insights through near- and mid-infrared imaging. This showcases the ongoing legacy of Hubble and its contributions to our understanding of the universe.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, F. Belfiore, W. Yuan, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team, A. Riess, K. Takáts, D. de Martin & M. Zamani (ESA/Hubble)