Posted on 12/22/2025 9:05:46 AM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: Shiny NGC 253 is one of the brightest spiral galaxies visible, and also one of the dustiest. Some call it the Silver Coin Galaxy for its appearance in small telescopes, or just the Sculptor Galaxy for its location within the boundaries of the southern constellation Sculptor. Discovered in 1783 by mathematician and astronomer Caroline Herschel, the dusty island universe lies a mere 10 million light-years away. About 70 thousand light-years across, NGC 253 is the largest member of the Sculptor Group of Galaxies, the nearest to our own Local Group of Galaxies. In addition to its spiral dust lanes, tendrils of dust seem to be rising from its galactic disk laced with young star clusters and star forming regions in this colorful galaxy portrait. The high dust content accompanies frantic star formation, earning NGC 253 the designation of a starburst galaxy. NGC 253 is also known to be a strong source of high-energy x-rays and gamma rays, likely due to black holes near the galaxy's center.
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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.
Pinging the APOD list
🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔
We all know about the NASA Picture of the Day website so why keep posting it here?
Looking and imagining all the possible planets/solar systems that could be in there.
The study challenges earlier models by showing that these winds are not spherical but more focused, and decrease in density and temperature with distance from the galaxy’s center.
NGC 253 shows the effect of powerful winds being launched in opposite directions from the center of the galaxy. Although it is a spiral like our Milky Way galaxy, NGC 253 is forming stars at a higher rate. These young massive stars and their supernova explosions propel the winds that play an important role in the lifecycle of stars and the galaxy."
https://scitechdaily.com/galactic-winds-unraveled-chandra-x-ray-observatorys-stellar-revelation/
bttt
BECAUSE WE LIKE IT!!!
Pigpen (from Peanuts) lives there. Heh.
I've heard tell, there are no stupid questions.
I want a galaxy named after me. The Shoe Galaxy.
BECAUSE WE LIKE IT!!!
RIGHT ON!
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