It was in this region of the universe where the Local Volume Legacy (LVL) project took place for the study of 258 galaxies through cycles of observations made by the Spitzer Space Telescope using the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) and the Multiband Imaging Photometer (MIPS).[6][7][8][9]
Partial representation of the Local Volume (the scale at the top represents 5 million light-years).
This Local Volume study included all galaxies within a 3.5 megaparsec subvolume and a collection of spiral and irregular galaxies within 11 megaparsecs. The goals of the study were to collect data on the rate of star formation, stellar mass in old star populations, cosmic dust, and starlight interference.[10]
We can also define the Local Volume by the distance of 10 Mpc over which the Hubble Space Telescope can distinguish stellar populations in galaxies. This definition can be extended to 15 Mpc to cover a full range of galaxy environments, from voidstoclusters and massive clusters. In the future, it should be possible to extend our definition of Local Volume to even greater distances.
Within the Local Volume is the Local Sheet, an area of flattened space containing about 60 galaxies that share the same velocity and is about 7 megaparsecs in radius and about 0.5 megaparsecs thick. The Local Group, of which the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy are part, is part of the Local Sheet and therefore, of the Local Volume. The Local Volume, in turn, is included in the Laniakea Supercluster.
^Lee, J. C.; Kennicutt, R. C.; Engelbracht, C. W.; Calzetti, D.; Dale, D. A.; Gordon, K. D.; Dalcanton, J. J.; Skillman, E.; Begum, A. (2008-10-01). "The Local Volume Legacy Survey". Formation and Evolution of Galaxy Disks. 396: 151. Bibcode:2008ASPC..396..151L. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
^Kennicutt, Robert; Lee, J. C.; Engelbracht, C.; Begum, A.; Block, M.; Calzetti, D.; Dalcanton, J.; Dale, D.; Funes, J. (2007-12-01). "The Spitzer Local Volume Legacy". American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts. 211: 95.02. Bibcode:2007AAS...211.9502K. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
