A sea of blazing stars in a galactic spiral of gas, dust and starbirth

23 March 2023 Astronomy Now

M83, also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, is one of the largest and, at a distance of about 15 million light years, one of the nearest barred spirals to the Milky Way. The “grand design” galaxy has hosted multiple supernova blasts and appears to have a double core. Discovered in February 1752 by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille, M83 was added to Charles Messier’s catalogue in 1781. The Hubble Space Telescope captured a spectacular view of M83 in 2014. A zoomed-in view shows countless stars in the galaxy’s outskirts embedded in rich clouds of gas and dust.

M83, as imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. Image: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA); Acknowledgement: William Blair (Johns Hopkins University)
M83 detail. Image: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA); Acknowledgement: William Blair (Johns Hopkins University)A sea of stars in a tapestry of dust on the outskirts of a familiar galaxy

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