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
- Paul Götz
- Discovery site
- Heidelberg
- Discovery date
- 3 October 1904
- Pronunciation
- / m ɛ s ə ˈ l iː n ə / or / m ɛ s ə ˈ l aɪ n ə /
- Alternative designations
- 1904 OY
- Observation arc
- 111.54 yr (40741 d)
- Aphelion
- 3.7428 AU (559.91 Gm )
- Perihelion
- 2.6600 AU (397.93 Gm)
- Semi major axis
- 3.2014 AU (478.92 Gm)
- Orbital period sidereal
- 5.73 yr (2092.2 d )
- Mean anomaly
- 305.368 °
- Mean motion
- 0° 10 19.416 / day
- Inclination
Article
545 Messalina is a minor planet, specifically an asteroid orbiting primarily in the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 3 October 1904 by Paul Götz (provisional name 1904 OY), at Heidelberg. It is named after Valeria Messalina, the third wife of Roman Emperor Claudius.
References