Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 4145
Ssc2009 15a2

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Observation • August 5th, 2009 • ssc2009-15a2

ssc2009-15a2

This infrared picture shows a relatively calm galaxy called NGC 4145. This galaxy has already made most of its stars and has little star-forming activity. It is located 68 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici. Blue shows starlight and dust.

This image is one of the first to be taken during Spitzer's warm mission -- a new phase that began after the telescope, which operated for more than five-and-a-half years, ran out of liquid coolant. The picture was snapped with the two infrared channels that still work at Spitzer's still-quite-chilly temperature of 30 Kelvin (about minus 406 Fahrenheit). The two infrared channels are part of Spitzer's infrared array camera: 3.6-micron light is blue and 4.5-micron light is orange.

This picture was taken while the telescope was being re-commissioned, on July 18.

About the Object

Name
NGC 4145
Type
Galaxy > Type > Spiral
Galaxy > Type > Barred
Distance
68,000,000 Light Years
Redshift
0.00339

Color Mapping

Band Wavelength Telescope
Infrared 3.6 µm Spitzer IRAC
Infrared 4.5 µm Spitzer IRAC

Astrometrics

Position (J2000)
RA =12h 10m 1.4s
Dec = 39° 53' 3.3"
Field of View
10.6 x 10.6 arcminutes
Orientation
North is 119.9° right of vertical