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Hubble Infrared Image of Area Surrounding Hanny’s Voorwerp
A vast number of galaxies is seen in this Hubble infrared image of the area surrounding the space oddity, Hanny's Voorwerp. Located in the constellation Leo Minor, a faint outline of the mysterious object, which is primarily visible in oxygen light, can be seen below the large galaxy IC 2497 near the center.
Leo Minor is known for its galaxy clusters, and this image is a testament to that fact. Most galaxies in this picture are spirals. Some are nearly face-on, as is the case with IC 2497 and its smaller companion to the left. Others are edge-on, as demonstrated by the multitude of elongated objects in the background.
This Hubble image was taken on April 4, 2010, with the Wide Field Camera 3 infrared detector. This near-infrared view of galaxies is typical of what is to come with the James Webb Space Telescope, whose prime purpose will be to image the universe in infrared wavelengths with high resolution.
About the Object
- R.A. PositionR.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.09h 41m 3.79s
- Dec. PositionDec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.34° 43' 34.2"
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.Hanny's Voorwerp, IC 2497
- Release DateJanuary 10, 2011
- Science ReleaseHubble Zooms in on a Space Oddity
- Credit
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Hubble Snaps Image of Space Oddity
In this image by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, an unusual, ghostly green blob of gas appears to float near a normal-looking spiral galaxy. The bizarre object, dubbed Hanny's Voorwerp (Hanny's Object in Dutch), is the only visible part of a 300,000-light-year-long streamer of...
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Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
