# @europeanspaceagency on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DG58xaIMZcc
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/35582165-europeanspaceagency-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/c028017393.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-03-08T22:50:00.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** J.L.Lopez (@xandler80) — https://gondola.cc/xandler80

## Caption

Share this with the Piscis in your life! ♓️

The constellation Piscis Austrinus, the Southern Fish, is home to some truly mesmerising celestial sights. From an enigmatic spiral galaxy hiding a luminous secret to a scorching-hot star burning through its fuel at an astonishing rate, here are four cosmic marvels you won’t want to miss:

1. NGC 7172 – A galaxy with a hidden heart: At first glance, NGC 7172 looks like an ordinary edge-on spiral galaxy. But when astronomers peered deeper, they uncovered something extraordinary—a Seyfert galaxy with a brilliantly bright, active core powered by a supermassive black hole. Dusty tendrils crisscross its heart, partially veiling the spectacle within.

2. Fomalhaut – A blazing giant: Fomalhaut, the brightest star in Piscis Austrinus, shines 15 times brighter than our Sun and burns its hydrogen at such a ferocious pace that it will fade in just 1 billion years—a mere 10% of our Sun’s lifespan! Located just 25 light-years from Earth, it’s one of the most dazzling stars in the night sky.

3. A star with a planet in tow: Orbiting Fomalhaut is one of the first exoplanets ever directly imaged by a telescope. This distant world, Fomalhaut b, follows a highly elliptical, 2000-year orbit around its parent star. In about 8 years, it will pass through a vast debris belt—offering a rare chance to witness cosmic interactions unfold!

4. A celestial time capsule: Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have tracked Fomalhaut b’s motion over time. This false-colour composite image captures its journey, helping scientists understand the planet’s mysterious orbit and how planets evolve in dynamic star systems.

Swipe through to see these incredible cosmic sights and marvel at the wonders of Piscis Austrinus!

📸 europeanspaceagency / hubbleesa & NASA, D. J. Rosario, A. Barth; creativecommons BY 4.0
Acknowledgement: L. Shatz
📸 A. Fujii
📸 NASA, ESA, and the Digitized Sky Survey 2. Acknowledgment: Davide De Martin (ESA/Hubble)
📸 NASA, ESA and P. Kalas (ucberkeleyofficial and setiinstitute); CC BY 4.0

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## Credits

These are the roles credited on Gondola. Credits may be incomplete.
A brand, account owner, or featured person is not necessarily the creator.

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ESA - European Space Agency | @europeanspaceagency | https://gondola.cc/europeanspaceagency | Government Organization |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Producer |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Editor |
| Hubble Space Telescope | @hubbleesa | https://gondola.cc/hubbleesa | Photographer |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Social Media Manager |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Publisher |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Copywriter |
| J.L.Lopez | @xandler80 | https://gondola.cc/xandler80 | Community Manager |

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