Posted on 06/21/2016 1:24:44 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Explanation: In the center of this serene stellar swirl is likely a harrowing black-hole beast. The surrounding swirl sweeps around billions of stars which are highlighted by the brightest and bluest. The breadth and beauty of the display give the swirl the designation of a grand design spiral galaxy. The central beast shows evidence that it is a supermassive black hole about 10 million times the mass of our Sun. This ferocious creature devours stars and gas and is surrounded by a spinning moat of hot plasma that emits blasts of X-rays. The central violent activity gives it the designation of a Seyfert galaxy. Together, this beauty and beast are cataloged as NGC 6814 and have been appearing together toward the constellation of the Eagle (Aquila) for roughly the past billion years.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
[Credit and Copyright: ESA/Hubble & NASA; Acknowledgement: Judy Schmidt (Geckzilla)]
Most Galaxies are Much Messier than the Grand Design Spiral Galaxy.
Indeed, this one appears quite Shapley.
The viewing angle from Earth is called “face-on”
According to astronomers, “when we look at this galaxy we are looking into and through an inner spiral arm of our own Milky Way Galaxy.”
“Clouds of gas and dust billow and waft in the foreground of NGC 6814. Thus the reality is that many directions are dimmed or completely hidden from view due to the busy inner workings of our own home.”
“We are lucky that NGC 6814 is an intrinsically bright galaxy and its light skirts some of the thickest clouds of the Milky Way.”
Shapley?
Well, Hubble Hubble wink wink, say no more! :-)
Very lucky!
I don’t condone what Moe did to Larry, Curly, and Shemp, but I understand it now. ;’)
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