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
- 10 September 1882
- Pronunciation
- / v ɪ n ˈ d ɒ b ə n ə /
- Named after
- Vindobona
- Alternative designations
- A882 RB, 1962 UJ
- Minor planet category
- Main belt
- Observation arc
- 131.05 yr (47865 d)
- Aphelion
- 3.3648 AU (503.37 Gm )
- Perihelion
- 2.4810 AU (371.15 Gm)
- Semi major axis
- 2.9229 AU (437.26 Gm)
- Orbital period sidereal
- 5.00 yr (1825.2 d )
- Average orbital speed
- 17.44 km/s
- Mean anomaly
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- asteroid
- Named after
- Vienna
- Followed by
- Q148685
- Follows
- 230 Athamantis
- Parent body
- Sun
- Minor-planet group
- asteroid belt
- Diameter
- +73.545
- Orbital period
- +1820.595819457115
Show 3 more facts
- P65
Article
231 Vindobona is a large Main belt asteroid. It was discovered by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa on September 10, 1882. Vindobona is the Latin name for Vienna, Austria, the city where the discovery was made.
Its dark surface indicates a carbon-rich composition.