NGC 1510 and NGC 1512 – Hubble Space Telescope Image

In this Hubble Space Telescope image, NGC 1510 and NGC 1512 appear as an unequal pair of interacting galaxies against the blackness of Horologium. The larger galaxy spreads across the left of the frame in pale blue and white spiral arms, gathered around an intensely luminous core; its smaller companion glows more softly to the right. Both lie approximately 30 million light years from Earth.

The pairing brings together two markedly different galactic forms: the official classification identifies a dwarf galaxy alongside a barred galaxy. Their interaction makes the scene more than a study of two isolated objects; it presents neighbouring galaxies whose structures are seen in relation to one another, their contrasting sizes especially clear across the wide, dark field. ESA/Hubble released this view on 27 July 2017.

A closer look

The eye first settles on the brilliant core of the larger galaxy, then follows the gentle twist of its arms outwards. Close to the centre, the light becomes densely textured, with delicate filament-like features emerging into looser, cooler-blue regions. Small blue points are particularly noticeable along the outer edges of the arms, standing sharply against darker gaps.

Towards the right, the smaller galaxy is quieter in appearance: a diffuse, rounded glow concentrated around a bright central point. Its comparative softness provides a visual counterweight to the broad, articulated structure on the left. Look closely above it and a subtle curved arrangement of light begins to emerge, while faint streaks elsewhere in the field complicate the apparent emptiness between the two galaxies.

The surrounding darkness is punctuated by numerous fine points and dim clusters. In a large presentation, these scattered details give the image its sense of depth: the principal galaxies remain commanding, yet the background never feels blank. The result is both expansive and finely grained, moving from the concentrated brilliance of the main core to the faintest traces of light at the limits of the frame.

Image details and provenance

• Subject: NGC 1510 and NGC 1512
• Object type: Interacting galaxies; dwarf galaxy and barred galaxy
• Constellation: Horologium
• Distance from Earth: 30 million light years
• Telescope or observatory: Hubble Space Telescope
• Original release date: 27 July 2017, 14:00
• Image credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA

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