Jan 7, 2020 - Science

Hubble telescope photographs galaxy 2.5 times wider than the Milky Way

Miriam Kramer

Galaxy UGC 2885 — Photo: NASA/ESA/B. Holwerda (University of Louisville)

A new photo from the Hubble Space Telescope shows off a spiral galaxy located 232 million light-years away and thought to be the largest in our known, local universe.

Why it matters: The galaxy, named UGC 2885, is about 2.5 times wider than our galaxy and contains 10 times more stars.

The brightest stars in the foreground are actually in our own galaxy and were in the view of the telescope as it observed UGC 2885.

Background: This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope's life in space. Its successor — the James Webb Space Telescope — is expected to launch in 2021.

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Hubble telescope photographs galaxy 2.5 times wider than the Milky Way

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