ngc660：极环星系
(原标题: NGC 660: Polar Ring Galaxy)
2024-12-18
浏览次数: 21
这是一个什么样的奇怪星系？这种罕见的结构被称为极环星系，它似乎有两个不同的恒星环。在这个星系NGC 660中，一个由明亮的恒星、气体和暗尘埃组成的环几乎是垂直的，而另一个类似但较短的环从左上角斜向延伸。极环星系如何获得其引人注目的外观仍然是一个研究课题，但一种主流理论认为，这通常是两个具有不同中心环平面的星系碰撞的结果。NGC 660的跨度约为5万光年，位于距离双鱼座约4000万光年的地方。这张特色图片是最近从智利的El Sauce天文台拍摄的。
查看原文解释
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.
© Mike Selby