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
- Annibale de Gasparis
- Discovery date
- 5 April 1853
- Pronunciation
- / ˈ θ iː m ɪ s /
- Named after
- Themis
- Alternative designations
- 1947 BA; 1955 OH
- Minor planet category
- Main belt ( Themis )
- Adjectives
- Themistian / θ ɪ ˈ m ɪ s t i ə n /
- Aphelion
- 524.4 Gm , (3.505 AU )
- Perihelion
- 415.9 million km, (2.780 AU)
- Semi major axis
- 470.2 million km, (3.143 AU)
- Orbital period sidereal
- 2035 d (5.57 yr )
- Mean anomaly
- 346.1°
- Inclination
Article
24 Themis is one of the largest asteroids in the asteroid belt. At roughly 200 kilometres (120 mi) in diameter, it is also the largest member of the Themistian family. It was discovered by Annibale de Gasparis on 5 April 1853. It is named after Themis, the personification of natural law and divine order in Greek mythology.
Discovery and observations