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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Grand Spiral NGC 5643
NASA ^ | 26 Dec, 2024 | Image Credit: ESA / Hubble & NASA

Posted on 12/26/2024 12:11:06 PM PST by MtnClimber

Explanation: Viewed face-on, grand spiral galaxy NGC 5643 has a festive appearance in this colorful cosmic portrait. Some 55 million light-years distant, the galaxy extends for over 100,000 light-years, seen within the boundaries of the southern constellation Lupus. Its inner 40,000 light-years are shown in sharp detail in this composite of Hubble Space Telescope image data. The galaxy's magnificent spiral arms wind from a yellowish central region dominated by light from old stars, while the spiral arms themselves are traced by dust lanes, young blue stars and reddish star forming regions. The bright compact core of NGC 5643 is also known as a strong emitter of radio waves and X-rays. In fact, NGC 5643 is one of the closest examples of the Seyfert class of active galaxies, where vast amounts of dust and gas are thought to be falling into a central massive black hole.

(Excerpt) Read more at apod.nasa.gov ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 12/26/2024 12:11:06 PM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 12/26/2024 12:11:24 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

3 posted on 12/26/2024 12:12:09 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

And to think we’re the only ones out there?


4 posted on 12/26/2024 12:36:12 PM PST by SkyDancer ( ~ Am Yisrael Chai ~)
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To: SkyDancer
And to think we’re the only ones out there?

Congress and deep state makes me believe there must be bacteria or viruses out there somewhere.

5 posted on 12/26/2024 12:41:15 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Wow.


6 posted on 12/26/2024 1:03:46 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: MtnClimber

WOW!

Beautiful!!!


7 posted on 12/26/2024 2:08:30 PM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus)
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To: MtnClimber

Wow - looks like a tired eye with missing pupil.


8 posted on 12/26/2024 3:19:18 PM PST by Deaf and Discerning
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