With a radius of 50,000 light years, the spiral galaxy NGC 4603 was discovered on June 8, 1834 by the English astronomer and mathematician John Herschel , son of the famous astronomer William Herschel.
"Bright bands of young blue stars form the arms of NGC 4603, which move lazily outward from the luminous nucleus. The intricate reddish-brown filaments that pass through the spiral arms are known as dust lines and consist of dense clouds of dust that obscure the diffuse light of the stars of the galaxy ", explain the astronomers of the Hubble.
Also known as ESO 322-52, IRAS 12382-4042 and LEDA 42510, this galaxy has a diameter of 110,000 light years; it is a member of the Centaurus Cluster of galaxies, a group of more than 100 galaxies.
"NGC 4603 is a familiar subject to Hubble . In the last years of the 20th century, the galaxy was observed closely and closely for signs of a peculiar class of stars known as Cepheid variables."
"These stars have a luminosity closely related to the period with which they darken and brighten, allowing astronomers to accurately measure how far they are from Earth. Distance measurements of Cepheid variables are key to measuring distances. farthest in the universe, and were one of the factors used by Georges Lemaître and Edwin Hubble to show that the universe is expanding, " conclude the Hubble experts.
