Flocculent
27. spiral
NGC 2841
Star formation is one of the most important processes
in shaping the Universe; it plays a pivotal role in the
evolution of galaxies and it is also in the earliest stages
of star formation that planetary systems first appear.
Yet there is still much that astronomers don’t
understand, such as how do the properties of stellar
nurseries vary according to the composition and
density of gas present, and what triggers star formation
in the first place? The driving force behind star
formation is particularly unclear for a type of galaxy
called a flocculent spiral, such as NGC 2841 shown
here, which features short spiral arms rather than
prominent and well-defined galactic limbs.
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/
AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration
“Hubble has revolutionized our
understanding of the structures of
distant galaxies. By working with
Hubble data, I have continued to be
surprised by the new and unexpected
discoveries that result.”
— Dr. Katherine E. Whitaker
NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow
Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland