GALEX Image
Ultraviolet Atlas of Nearby Galaxies Poster (Back)
Galaxies from the atlas are arranged in bins of increasing ultraviolet color (the difference between far and near ultraviolet magnitude). Those with relatively strong far ultraviolet emission appear blue, toward the left, and those with relatively strong near ultraviolet emission appear red, toward the right. Each color bin is sorted vertically by far ultraviolet luminosity, with the most luminous objects at the top. Bluer galaxies are dominated by emission from young hot stars, while red galaxies contain old stars or more attenuating dust. The far ultraviolet luminosity traces the hot, blue star population and is interpreted as the star formation rate.
GALEX has been in Earth orbit surveying the ultraviolet sky since mid-2003. The mission is operated by Caltech and supports an annual guest observer program.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Release Date
January 9, 2006
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