Natural Science

From the press release:

After seven years of design and construction but only two weeks of commissioning, a remarkable first light image was obtained with a new state-of the-art instrument at the Gemini North Telescope on Hawaii's Mauna Kea. The image of the large galaxy in Pisces called NGC 628 (or Messier 74) has been called the "Perfect Spiral Galaxy" due to its nearly ideal form, which is clearly revealed in this new image.

Named GMOS or the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph, the instrument that took the image is primarily designed for spectroscopic studies where several hundred simultaneous spectra are required, such as when observing star and galaxy clusters. However, as the dramatic new image demonstrates, GMOS also has the ability to focus beautiful astronomical images on its huge array of over 28 million ultra-sensitive pixels. When combined with Gemini's 8.1-meter main mirror, the GMOS first-light image of this spiral galaxy leaves no doubt about the instrument's potential on Gemini.

See also the caption page for more details of the image.

Photo Credit: "Gemini Observatory - GMOS Team"

Many thanks to Kirk Pu'uohau-Pummill for allowing the Gallery to display a copy of this amazing image.