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
- George Henry Peters
- Discovery site
- Washington, D.C.
- Discovery date
- 16 November 1917
- Alternative designations
- 1917 b
- Observation arc
- 105.87 yr (38670 days)
- Aphelion
- 4.0269 AU (602.42 Gm )
- Perihelion
- 2.3205 AU (347.14 Gm)
- Semi major axis
- 3.1737 AU (474.78 Gm)
- Orbital period sidereal
- 5.65 yr (2065.1 d )
- Mean anomaly
- 217.593 °
- Mean motion
- 0° 10 27.552 / day
- Inclination
- 16.846°
- Longitude of ascending node
- 58.918°
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- asteroid
- Followed by
- Q157639
- Follows
- Q157621
- Parent body
- Sun
- Minor-planet group
- asteroid belt
- Diameter
- +86.793
- Orbital period
- +2060.683901667312
- Image
- 886 Washingtonia orbit on 01 Jan 2009.png
Show 4 more facts
Article
886 Washingtonia is a minor planet orbiting the Sun. It was discovered on 16 November 1917, from Washington, D.C., and is named after the 1st President of the United States, George Washington. Washingtonia may be a "fresh asteroid" that had its surface refreshed within the last 10 million years via collision(s).
Discovery circumstances