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Astronomy Picture of the Day - NGC 3310: A Starburst Spiral Galaxy
NASA ^ | 5 Apr, 2026 | Image Credit & Copyright: AAO ITSO Office, Gemini Obs./AURA & T. A. Rector (U. Alaska Anchorage)

Posted on 04/05/2026 10:43:40 AM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: The party is still going on in spiral galaxy NGC 3310. Roughly 100 million years ago, NGC 3310 likely collided with a smaller galaxy causing the large spiral galaxy to light up with a tremendous burst of star formation. The changing gravity during the collision created density waves that compressed existing clouds of gas and triggered the star-forming party. The featured image from the Gemini North Telescope shows the galaxy in great detail, color-coded so that pink highlights gas while white and blue highlight stars. Some of the star clusters in the galaxy are quite young, indicating that starburst galaxies may remain in star-burst mode for quite some time. NGC 3310 spans about 50,000 light years, lies about 50 million light years away, and is visible with a small telescope towards the constellation of Great Bear Ursa Major.


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 04/05/2026 10:43:40 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 04/05/2026 10:44:14 AM 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 04/05/2026 10:45:28 AM 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

There’s a lot going on in that neck of the woods.


4 posted on 04/05/2026 10:49:11 AM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: telescope115

It looks “mostly peaceful”.


5 posted on 04/05/2026 10:55:09 AM 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

God’s wonders.


6 posted on 04/05/2026 11:04:40 AM PDT by JimRed (TERM LIMITS, NOW! Finish the damned WALL! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH! )
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To: telescope115

Or, there was.


7 posted on 04/05/2026 11:30:04 AM PDT by P8riot (You will never know Jesus Christ as a reality in your life until you know Him as a necessity.)
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To: MtnClimber

Wow.


8 posted on 04/05/2026 12:29:35 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: JimRed

Such beauty.


9 posted on 04/05/2026 12:29:44 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: MtnClimber

LOL!


10 posted on 04/05/2026 1:28:47 PM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: P8riot

Right!


11 posted on 04/05/2026 1:29:06 PM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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