The Hubble astronomers have released a stunning new image snapped by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope of the dwarf irregular galaxy UGC 4879.
This Hubble image shows UGC 4879, an irregular dwarf galaxy some 3.6 million light-years away in the constellation of Ursa Major. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / K. Chiboucas, NOIRLab & Gemini North / M. Monelli, Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias / Gladys Kober, NASA & Catholic University of America.
UGC 4879 is an irregular dwarf galaxy in the constellation of Ursa Major.
Otherwise known as VV124 and LEDA 26142, this galaxy is very isolated.
It is located 3.6 million light-years from our Milky Way Galaxy and 3.9 million light-years from the Andromeda Galaxy.
At a distance of approximately 1.6 million light-years, the dwarf galaxy Leo A is the nearest neighbor of UGC 4879.
This isolation makes UGC 4879 an ideal lab for studying pristine star formation uncomplicated by interactions with other galaxies.
There are only two other galaxies in the Local Group with similar, although slightly lower, degree of isolation: DDO 210 and SgrDIG, located in the direction opposite to that of UGC 4879.
“UGC 4879 is an isolated dwarf galaxy, lying just beyond our own Local Group of galaxies,” the Hubble astronomers said in a statement.
“Because of its isolation, we are studying UGC 4879 to determine if it is a relatively undisturbed, old galaxy.”
“Theories suggest that the lowest mass dwarf galaxies may have been the first galaxies to form.”
“If UGC 4879 is a relic of the early Universe, it could provide clues to the hierarchical structure and evolution of galaxies, galaxy clusters, and even the universe itself.”
This image of UGC 4879 combines data from two Hubble observing programs, both focused on learning more about dwarf galaxies: how they form and evolve.
