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Astronomy Picture of the Day - NGC 1566: The Spanish Dancer Galaxy
NASA ^ | 16 Mar, 2026 | Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Calzetti & the LEGUS Team, R. Chandar

Posted on 03/16/2026 1:38:14 PM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: If not perfect, then this spiral galaxy is at least one of the most photogenic. An island universe containing billions of stars and situated about 40 million light-years away toward the constellation of the Dolphinfish (Dorado), NGC 1566 presents a gorgeous face-on view. Classified as a grand design spiral, NGC 1566 shows two prominent and graceful spiral arms that are traced by bright blue star clusters, red emission nebulas, and dark cosmic dust lanes. Numerous Hubble Space Telescope images of NGC 1566 have been taken to study star formation, supernovas, and the spiral's unusually active center. NGC 1566's flaring center makes the spiral one of the closest and brightest Seyfert galaxies, likely housing a central supermassive black hole wreaking havoc on surrounding stars and gas.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

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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.

1 posted on 03/16/2026 1:38:14 PM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 03/16/2026 1:38:44 PM PDT 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 03/16/2026 1:39:38 PM PDT 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

Looks like a hot little number.


4 posted on 03/16/2026 1:44:04 PM PDT by ComputerGuy
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To: MtnClimber

Wow.


5 posted on 03/16/2026 1:44:56 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: MtnClimber
"An island universe containing billions of stars..."

And that's just one galaxy out of an estimated 2 trillion. Think about that.

6 posted on 03/16/2026 2:00:39 PM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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To: fidelis
And that's just one galaxy out of an estimated 2 trillion. Think about that.

And each galaxy may have billions of stars and even more planets. I think about that all the time.

7 posted on 03/16/2026 2:06:24 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: ComputerGuy

Coochie coochie! — Charo. (Second only to Raquel Welch in my Gallery of the Unattainable). :-)


8 posted on 03/16/2026 2:10:04 PM PDT by AFB-XYZ (( We have two options: 1. Stand up, or 2. Bend over))
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To: MtnClimber

Beautiful.


9 posted on 03/16/2026 2:15:56 PM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: ComputerGuy

Muy picante!


10 posted on 03/16/2026 2:17:11 PM PDT by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait.)
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To: MtnClimber

https://youtu.be/_i47DYkAJR8


11 posted on 03/16/2026 2:44:34 PM PDT by rfp1234 (E porcibus unum)
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To: MtnClimber

It’s overwhelming to contemplate the fact that every dot or speck of light is probably at the very least a complete planetary system.

And then think of how many more exist there that do not happen to be illuminated in this picture.


12 posted on 03/16/2026 3:06:11 PM PDT by Iron Munro (When politicians say "FOR THE GREATER GOOD" it means good for them, bad for us)
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To: Iron Munro

I was looking for a picture of Rita Hayworth, 10 of 10’s.


13 posted on 03/16/2026 4:50:13 PM PDT by Colt1851Navy (@!@)
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To: No name given

14 posted on 03/16/2026 5:04:32 PM PDT by Deaf and Discerning
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