NGC 660: Polar Ring Galaxy

NGC 660: Polar Ring Galaxy

Image Credit & Copyright:
Mike Selby

Explanation:
What kind of strange galaxy is this?

This rare structure is known as a
polar ring galaxy, and it seems to have two different rings of stars.

In this galaxy,
NGC 660, one ring of bright stars,
gas, and dark dust appears nearly vertical,
while another similar but shorter ring runs diagonally from the upper left.

How polar ring galaxies
obtain their striking appearance remains a
topic of research, but a leading theory
holds that it is usually the result of two galaxies
with different central ring planes
colliding.

NGC 660 spans about 50,000 light years and is located about 40 million
light years
away toward the constellation of the Fish
(Pisces).

The
featured image was captured recently from
Observatorio El Sauce in
Chile.