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
- H. E. Wood
- Discovery site
- Johannesburg
- Discovery date
- 18 May 1912
- Pronunciation
- / m æ n ˈ k juː n i ə /
- Alternative designations
- 1912 PE
- Observation arc
- 101.39 yr (37034 d)
- Aphelion
- 3.6704 AU (549.08 Gm )
- Perihelion
- 2.7081 AU (405.13 Gm)
- Semi major axis
- 3.1893 AU (477.11 Gm)
- Orbital period sidereal
- 5.70 yr (2080.3 d )
- Mean anomaly
- 260.973 °
- Mean motion
- 0° 10 22.98 / day
- Inclination
- 5.6102°
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- asteroid
- Named after
- Manchester
- Followed by
- 759 Vinifera
- Follows
- Q156946
- Parent body
- Sun
- Minor-planet group
- asteroid belt
- Diameter
- +88.985
- Orbital period
- +2082.012693081201
Show 4 more facts
- P65
Article
758 Mancunia is a minor planet orbiting the Sun. It was discovered in 1912 from Johannesburg by H. E. Wood, a Mancunian. This object is orbiting at a distance of 3.19 AU with a period of 5.70 years. With an eccentricity (ovalness) of 0.15, its orbital path ranges from 2.71 to 3.19 AU. The orbital plane is inclined at an angle of 5.61° to the plane of the ecliptic.
Observation of this asteroid in 1996 suggested a rotation period of 6.902 hours. However, radar observations from Arecibo indicated this may be in error. Independent photometry measurements made during December 2006 were combined to determine an estimated period nearly double that of the original, or 12.7253±0.0006 h with a brightness variation amplitude of 0.26±0.02 in magnitude. A high radar albedo indicates this object is most likely metallic. Dips in the radar echo suggests there are large concavities on both sides. It is classified as an X-type asteroid in the Tholen taxonomy and spans a girth of 85±7 km.