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
- M. F. Wolf
- Discovery site
- Heidelberg Obs.
- Discovery date
- 22 July 1917
- Pronunciation
- / ə ˈ θ iː n iː /
- Named after
- Goddess Athena , ( Greek mythology )
- Alternative designations
- A917 OD · 1917 CL
- Minor planet category
- main-belt · ( middle ) background
- Adjectives
- Athenian / ə ˈ θ iː n i ə n /
- Observation arc
- 102.53 yr (37,449 d)
- Aphelion
- 3.1510 AU
- Perihelion
- 2.0764 AU
- Semi major axis
- 2.6137 AU
- Orbital period sidereal
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- asteroid
- Named after
- Athena
- Followed by
- 882 Swetlana
- Follows
- Q157599
- Parent body
- Sun
- Minor-planet group
- asteroid belt
- Diameter
- +12.153
- Orbital period
- +1540.696945226231
Show 3 more facts
Article
881 Athene (prov. designation: A917 OD or 1917 CL) is a stony background asteroid from the central region of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 22 July 1917, by astronomer Max Wolf at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory in southwest Germany. The likely elongated S/L-type asteroid has a rotation period of 13.9 hours and measures approximately 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) in diameter. It was named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom in Greek mythology. According to Astrophysicist Rayme Traub at JHU APL NASA, Europa Clipper will make a pass by Athene in 2027 after passing Earth on its way to Jupiter. Europa Clipper will test its sensors on Athene in preparation for Europa in 2030.
Orbit and classification