Picture of the Day · NASA
NGC 3660 and Burçin's Galaxy
2026-05-26
The upper galaxy might be more photogenic, but the lower galaxy is more unusual. The galaxy up top is NGC 3660, a spiral galaxy similar to our own Milky Way galaxy in that it has several bright blue spiral arms and a central bar of stars, dust, and gas. Captured by chance in the featured deep and colorful image, surprisingly, is SN 2026cff, a supernova found just to the right of the central bar. Farther in the distance is the bottom galaxy, known informally as Burçin’s galaxy, but formally cataloged as LEDA 1000714. The center of this galaxy appears to be an old elliptical galaxy, but it is strangely surrounded by not one but two rings of stars. What created Burçin's galaxy is a mystery and remains a continuing topic of research, but it likely involves the accretion of one or more smaller galaxies.
via NASA APOD
Key facts
- Discovered by
- Johann Palisa
- Discovery date
- 12 November 1879
- Pronunciation
- / ɪ z ə ˈ b ɛ l ə /
- Alternative designations
- A879 VA, 1953 EZ 1 , 1962 BF
- Minor planet category
- Main belt (Nemesis)
- Observation arc
Article
210 Isabella is a large and dark asteroid from the central asteroid belt, approximately 80 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered in Pola by Johann Palisa on 12 November 1879. The origin of the name is unknown. It is orbiting at a distance of 2.72 AU from the Sun with an eccentricity of 0.12 and a period of 4.49 yr. The orbital plane is inclined at an angle of 5.26° to the plane of the ecliptic.
The asteroid is probably composed of material similar to carbonaceous chondrites. It is classified as a member of the Nemesis family of asteroids. Estimates of the diameter range from 74 to 87 km. It is spinning with a period of 6.67 h.