Astronomy Picture of the Day

                         Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! [1] Each day a different image or photograph of our
 fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a
                           professional astronomer.

                                2019 March 11
                                      [2]
                The Central Magnetic Field of the Cigar Galaxy
    Image Credit: NASA [3] , SOFIA [4] , E. Lopez-Rodriguez [5] ; NASA [6] ,
                      Spitzer [7] , J. Moustakas et al.

Explanation: Are galaxies giant magnets? Yes, but the magnetic fields in
galaxies [8]  are typically much weaker than on Earth's [9]  surface, as well
as more complex [10] and harder to measure. Recently, though, the HAWC+
instrument [11]  onboard the airborne ( 747 [12] ) SOFIA observatory [13] has
been successful in detailing distant magnetic fields [14] by observing
infrared [15]  light polarized [16]  by reflection [17]  from dust grains.
Featured here, HAWC+ observations of the M82, the Cigar galaxy [18] , show
that the central magnetic field [19] is perpendicular [20]  to the disk and
parallel to the strong supergalactic wind [21] . This observation bolsters
[22]  the hypothesis that M82's central magnetic field helps its wind
transport the mass of millions of stars out from the central star-burst
region. The featured image [23]  shows magnetic field lines superposed on top
of an optical light (gray) and hydrogen gas [24]  (red) image from Kitt Peak
National Observatory [25] , further combined with (link)infrared images
(yellow) from SOFIA and the Spitzer Space Telescope<a/>. The Cigar Galaxy [27]
 is about 12 million light years [28] distant and visible with binoculars [29]
 towards the constellation of the Great Bear [30] .

                    Tomorrow's picture: touchdown on ryugu

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    Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff [42] (MTU [43] ) & Jerry Bonnell [44]
                                  (UMCP [45] )
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                           & Michigan Tech. U. [51]
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Site notes:
  [1] archivepix.html
  [2] image/1903/M82Magnet_SOFIA_2412.jpg
  [3] http://www.nasa.gov
  [4] https://www.sofia.usra.edu/
  [5] https://www.sofia.usra.edu/science/science-te...
  [6] https://www.nasa.gov
  [7] http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/mission/32-Mis...
  [8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaxy#Magnetic...
  [9] ap021125.html
  [10]
http://media.slaplaughter.danoah.com/wp-conte...
toilet-paper.jpeg
  [11]
https://www.nasa.gov/ames/image-feature/one-o...
  [12]
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thum...
  [13] https://www.sofia.usra.edu/multimedia/about-s...
  [14] ap190227.html
  [15] https://science.nasa.gov/ems/07_infraredwaves
  [16] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarization_(w...
  [17] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJHCADY-Bio
  [18] ap160221.html
  [19] https://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/Imag...
  [20]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpendicular#/...
Fileerpendicular-coloured.svg
  [21] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_winds
  [22] https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/20...
  [23]
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/
weighing-galactic-wind-provides-clues-to-evolution-of-galaxies
  [24] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-alpha
  [25] https://www.noao.edu/kpno/
  [26] http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/277-Fast-...
  [27] ap130704.html
  [28] https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/en/
  [29] http://umich.edu/~lowbrows/guide/eye.html
  [30] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursa_Major
  [31] ap190310.html
  [32] archivepix.html
  [33] lib/apsubmit2015.html
  [34] lib/aptree.html
  [35] https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apo...
  [36] calendar/allyears.html
  [37] /apod.rss
  [38] lib/edlinks.html
  [39] lib/about_apod.html
  [40] http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?dat...
  [41] ap190312.html
  [42] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  [43] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  [44] https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnel...
  [45] http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  [46] lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  [47] https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Priv...
  [48] https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  [49] https://www.nasa.gov/
  [50] https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  [51] http://www.mtu.edu/

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