AGZ0004b1o Ring of purple dots around galaxy centre?

• by Aprilwitch

  I haven't seen this before and to my eye they are definitely a part of the galaxy. Does anyone have an explanation?

  Posted February 15, 2013 3:25 PM

• by Terrance_L._Johnson

  Sorry, they are really overlapping stars. Inverted image shows them to be much darker than the galaxy.

  Posted February 15, 2013 5:06 PM

• by vrooje admin, scientist

  Another way to get a sense of whether point-like sources are part of the galaxy or foreground stars is to click through to SkyServer and then zoom out either by clicking on the image or by clicking Navigate in the left-hand menus.
  
  This is a fairly crowded field of stars, so it's yet more evidence that the points over the galaxy are foreground stars as well.

  Posted February 15, 2013 6:01 PM

• by Aprilwitch

  I checked SDSS and navigated to the purple dots but SDSS don't recognize then as separate objects?

  Posted February 15, 2013 6:57 PM

• by ElisabethB moderator

  Yes, that is possible. SDSS sometimes gets it wrong ! (shocking)

  Posted February 15, 2013 7:00 PM

• by elizabeth_s

  insert large grin

  Posted February 15, 2013 7:05 PM

• by Aprilwitch

  Thanks Terrance, vrooje. Good tips with inverting.

  Posted February 15, 2013 7:32 PM