Messier 83

AAT image of the magnificient spiral galaxy M83,

also called the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy.

This beautiful galaxy, of intermediate type between “normal” and barred spirals,

shows up in prominent colors. Aligned with the spiral arms, reddish diffuse

nebulae can be found which are giant star-forming regions, together with blueish

young star clusters and stellar associations which have just formed from these

nebulae. The spiral pattern of this galaxy is also nicely traced by dark lanes

of interstellar dust. The central region of the disk of M83, together with the

central nucleus, has a distinct yellowish color, indicating an older stellar

population. The brightest individual stars of the galaxy are just visible in

this photograph.

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