๐ŸŒŒ SpacePicture of a Day: NGC 660: Polar Ring Galaxy ๐Ÿช

in science โ€ขย  4 days agoย 

NGC 660: Polar Ring Galaxy


What kind of strange galaxy is this? This rare structure is known as a polar ring galaxy, and it seems to have two different rings of stars. In this galaxy, NGC 660, one ring of bright stars, gas, and dark dust appears nearly vertical, while another similar but shorter ring runs diagonally from the upper left. How polar ring galaxies obtain their striking appearance remains a topic of research, but a leading theory holds that it is usually the result of two galaxies with different central ring planes colliding. NGC 660 spans about 50,000 light years and is located about 40 million light years away toward the constellation of the Fish (Pisces). The featured image was captured recently from Observatorio El Sauce in Chile.


HD image: LINK ๐Ÿ›ธ

Copyright: **
Mike Selby
** ๐Ÿ”ญ

Project Website: LINK ๐Ÿš€



๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿš€ How many people are in space right now? ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿš€

12

NameCraft
Oleg KononenkoISS
Nikolai ChubISS
Tracy Caldwell DysonISS
Matthew DominickISS
Michael BarrattISS
Jeanette EppsISS
Alexander GrebenkinISS
Butch WilmoreISS
Sunita WilliamsISS
Li GuangsuTiangong
Li CongTiangong
Ye GuangfuTiangong
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Upvoted! Thank you for supporting witness @jswit.

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