444 Gyptis
Also known as (444) Gyptis, Gyptis
main-belt asteroid
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
- Jérôme Eugène Coggia
- Discovery date
- 31 March 1899
- Pronunciation
- / ˈ dʒ ɪ p t ɪ s /
- Named after
- Gyptis
- Alternative designations
- 1899 EL
- Minor planet category
Article
444 Gyptis is a main-belt asteroid that was discovered by French astronomer Jérôme Eugène Coggia on March 31, 1899, in Marseille. It is orbiting the Sun at a distance of 2.77 AU with a moderate eccentricity of 0.176 and an orbital period of 4.61 years. The orbital plane is inclined at an angle of 10.3°. It is spinning with a rotation period of 6.214 hours.
This is classified as a C-type asteroid and is probably composed of carbonaceous material. The spectra of the asteroid displays evidence of aqueous alteration. In 2004, Kochetova estimated Gyptis to have a mass of 1.25×10 kg with a high density of 5.53 g/cm. In 2012 Carry estimated the mass as (1.06±0.28)×10 kg with a high density of 4.55±1.23 g/cm.