Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2024 December 18
    [2]A dark starfield has an unusual galaxy in the center. This galaxy
       has a spindle-like shape showing two dust lanes -- one running
    vertically and one running diagonally from the upper left. Please see
               the explanation for more detailed information.

                         NGC 660: Polar Ring Galaxy
                   Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Mike Selby

   Explanation: What kind of strange galaxy is this? This rare structure
   is known as a [4]polar ring galaxy, and it seems to have two different
   rings of stars. In this galaxy, [5]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 [6]obtain their striking appearance remains a [7]topic of
   research, but a leading theory holds that it is usually the result of
   two galaxies with different central ring planes [8]colliding. NGC 660
   spans about 50,000 light years and is located about 40 million [9]light
   years away toward the constellation of the Fish ([10]Pisces). The
   [11]featured image was captured recently from [12]Observatorio El Sauce
   in [13]Chile.

                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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    Authors & editors: [25]Robert Nemiroff ([26]MTU) & [27]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([28]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [29]Specific rights apply.
            [30]NASA Web Privacy, [31]Accessibility, [32]Notices;
                A service of: [33]ASD at [34]NASA / [35]GSFC,
                         [36]NASA Science Activation
                           & [37]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2412/NGC660_Selby_1720.jpg
   3. https://throughlightandtime.com/about/
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar-ring_galaxy
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap141108.html
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231024.html
   7. https://i.pinimg.com/1200x/68/54/15/685415485a101db87fa6023548eec83f.jpg
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130514.html
   9. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisces_(constellation)
  11. https://throughlightandtime.com/ngc-660-lrgb-rev-1-crop-cdk-1000-22-nov-2024-2/
  12. https://youtu.be/S4rFdr2Qmjk
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241217.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  18. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  20. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  23. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=241218
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241219.html
  25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  26. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  28. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  33. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  36. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  37. http://www.mtu.edu/