Hubble image
By The Associated Press
Published: November 20, 2008 10:33 PM
This image taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and released Thursday showcases the brilliant core of NGC 1569 one of the most active star making galaxies in our local neighborhood.
The entire core is 5,000 light-years wide.
According to scientists a new analysis of NGC 1569 shows that it is one and a half times farther from Earth than astronomers previously thought.
The extra distance places the galaxy in the middle of a group of about 10 galaxies centered on the spiral galaxy IC 342.
Gravitational interactions among the group's galaxies may be compressing gas in NGC 1569 and igniting the star-birthing frenzy.


