9. Fomalhaut Dust Ring
Found Year: 1920
It was discovered by Heber Curtis.
Where: The Andromeda Galaxy
The closest major galaxy to Earth is the Andromeda Galaxy, a barred spiral galaxy located about 2.5 million light-years from Earth. Heber Curtis, an American astronomer, observed dark lanes that resembled the dust clouds found in the Andromeda Galaxy in 1920.
Dust Ring of Formalhaut ©NASA Image Collection/Alamy
The Andromeda Galaxy’s dust rings are visible in pictures because they are composed of a variety of chemical compounds that glow in the infrared. The dust rings are formed during star birth and star death, and they trace the spiral structure of the galaxy.
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