2 Structure in images

You’ve now examined the basic quantitative information that astronomers can obtain from images: measurements of the brightness, sizes and shapes of astronomical objects.

Combining this information together tells us about the structure of the Universe: how individual stars, stellar systems, galaxies and their components relate to each other. Mapping out the structure of astronomical systems, both small and large, is an essential step in building our understanding of how stars and galaxies are born, live their lives (whether stable and unexciting or short-lived and dramatic), and eventually die.

In this section, you will explore the diverse types of spatial structure that emerge in astronomical images, setting the scene for more precise classifications of astronomical objects.