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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Polar Ring Galaxy NGC 660
NASA ^ | November 10, 2012 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 11/10/2012 9:57:08 AM PST by SunkenCiv

Explanation: NGC 660 is featured in this cosmic snapshot, a sharp composite of broad and narrow band filter image data from the Gemini North telescope on Mauna Kea. Over 20 million light-years away and swimming within the boundaries of the constellation Pisces, NGC 660's peculiar appearance marks it as a polar ring galaxy. A rare galaxy type, polar ring galaxies have a substantial population of stars, gas, and dust orbiting in rings nearly perpendicular to the plane of the galactic disk. The bizarre-looking configuration could have been caused by the chance capture of material from a passing galaxy by a disk galaxy, with the captured debris eventually strung out in a rotating ring. The violent gravitational interaction would account for the myriad pinkish star forming regions scattered along NGC 660's ring. The polar ring component can also be used to explore the shape of the galaxy's otherwise unseen dark matter halo by calculating the dark matter's gravitational influence on the rotation of the ring and disk. Broader than the disk, NGC 660's ring spans over 50,000 light-years.

November 10, 2012

(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; falsecolor; maunakea; ngc660; pisces; science
[Credit: Gemini Observatory, AURA, Travis Rector (Univ. Alaska Anchorage)]

1 posted on 11/10/2012 9:57:12 AM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: SunkenCiv

BTTT.


2 posted on 11/10/2012 9:58:24 AM PST by OddLane (If Lionel Hutz and Guy Smiley had a lovechild together, his name would be "Mitt Romney." -KAJ)
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To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...
My apologies, I got a few days behind on the APoD!

3 posted on 11/10/2012 9:58:43 AM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv

Any planet in the outer ring would have an awesome view of their galaxy.


4 posted on 11/10/2012 10:07:04 AM PST by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: SunkenCiv

That’s God’s version of a Pollack I believe.

Incredible.


5 posted on 11/10/2012 10:24:55 AM PST by longfellow (Bill Maher, the 21st hijacker.)
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To: SunkenCiv

‘X’ marks the spot...


6 posted on 11/10/2012 10:25:52 AM PST by mikrofon (Bi-Polar Ring Disorder?)
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To: SunkenCiv

Beautiful...Thanks

BoL


7 posted on 11/10/2012 10:37:51 AM PST by BlessingsofLiberty (Remember Brian Terry...)
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To: SunkenCiv

Hot cross bun! Perfect Christmas image, if a bit early.


8 posted on 11/10/2012 12:43:38 PM PST by TheOldLady
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To: SunkenCiv
Thanks for the APOD posts.

Also, thanks for the GGG stuff. It's never boring reading your posts, and those with similar interests.

What a break from the rest of the day it provides!

9 posted on 11/10/2012 10:10:15 PM PST by sauron ("Truth is hate to those who hate Truth" --unknown)
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To: sauron

Thanks sauron!


10 posted on 11/11/2012 7:06:08 AM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: TheOldLady

Quit talking about my ass.

/cymbal


11 posted on 11/11/2012 7:07:33 AM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv
Quit talking about my ass.

But Civ! You have such a cute one!


12 posted on 11/11/2012 10:13:39 AM PST by TheOldLady
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To: TheOldLady

I may burro that picture for something.


13 posted on 11/12/2012 8:18:58 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv

Just don’t bray about it.


14 posted on 11/13/2012 6:55:26 AM PST by TheOldLady
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