Galaxy Ngc 6861
by Science Source
Title
Galaxy Ngc 6861
Artist
Science Source
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
NGC 6861, a galaxy discovered in 1826 by the Scottish astronomer James Dunlop. NGC 6861 is the second brightest member of a group of at least a dozen galaxies called the Telescopium Group, found in the small constellation of Telescopium. This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope view shows some important details of NGC 6861. One of the most prominent features is the disc of dark bands circling the center of the galaxy. These dust lanes are a result of large clouds of dust particles obscuring the light emitted by the stars behind them. Dust lanes are very useful for working out whether we are seeing the galaxy disc edge-on, face-on or, as is the case for NGC 6861, somewhat in the middle. Dust lanes like these are typical of a spiral galaxy. The dust lanes are embedded in a white oval shape, which is made up of huge numbers of stars orbiting the centre of the galaxy. This oval is, rather puzzlingly, typical of an elliptical galaxy. NGC 6861 is actually a lenticular galaxy, a type of galaxy that has characteristics of spiral and elliptical galaxies.
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March 27th, 2017
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