The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has provided a breathtaking image of NGC 1672, a barred spiral galaxy located 49 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Dorado. This galaxy showcases a vibrant light display, featuring a multitude of celestial phenomena.
Shining stars populate its disk, creating a beautiful glow typical of spiral galaxies. The two prominent arms of NGC 1672 are adorned with bubbles of hydrogen gas, glowing in striking red hues due to radiation from nascent stars hidden within. At the galaxy's core, a ring of hot gas surrounds newly formed, extremely hot stars that emit powerful X-rays. These features contribute to NGC 1672’s classification as a Seyfert galaxy, characterized by its active galactic nucleus fueled by matter swirling around a supermassive black hole.
A notable highlight in the image is the fleeting presence of supernova SN 2017GAX, a Type I supernova resulting from the core-collapse of a giant star. This supernova, captured in one of the six Hubble images, appeared in the sky within days and is now visible as a small green dot fading beneath the spiral arm.
Recently, NGC 1672 was also observed by the James Webb Space Telescope, which revealed intricate details of its gas ring and dust structures in the spiral arms, further enhancing our understanding of this captivating galaxy.