images

Spiral galaxy M33 in Triangulum

by

R.Gendler/Novapix

Reference

a-gax05-98008

Date

2006-09-07

Also known as M33 or NGC 598, the Triangulum Galaxy is part of the Local Group of galaxies, which includes the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and our galaxy, the Milky Way. M33 is over thirty thousand light-years across, and more than two million light-years away. The data in this image show the many stars within the galaxy as well as reddish star forming regions that are filled with hot hydrogen gas. Hot, massive stars which recently formed in M33 give the galaxy its bluish color. The reddish areas are nebulae in the galaxy in which stars are rapidly forming.