VST Captures Spectacular New Image of Messier 33 Galaxy's Spiral Arms

The VLT Survey Telescope (VST) has captured a spectacular new image of the galaxy, Messier 33. The picture reveals the nearby spiral, the second closest galaxy to our own Milky Way.

Messier 33 is also known as NGC 598 and is located about three million light-years away from Earth in the small northern constellation of Triangulum. Also known as the Triangulum Galaxy, Messier 33 was first recorded in August 1764. Yet it's likely that the spiral galaxy was spotted far earlier-100 years or more-by a Sicilian astronomer.

The galaxy is the third-largest member of the Local Group of galaxies. This Local Group includes the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy, and about 50 other smaller galaxies. So close is this galaxy, that you can spot it on an extremely clear, dark night with the unaided eye. In fact, it's considered to be the most distant celestial object visible without any optical help.

The picture reveals that the galaxy is packed with bright star clusters and clouds of gas and dust. The image is one of the most detailed wide-field views of this galaxy ever taken, and shows many glowing red gas clouds in the spiral arms. The clarity of this picture reveals how useful instruments like the 2.6-meter survey telescope really are.

There are many star-forming regions in Messier 33's spiral arms, though the giant nebula NGC 604 stands out. It has a diameter of nearly 1,500 light-years and is one of the largest nearby emission nebulae known.

Want to see more? Check out the video below, courtesy of ESO.