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
- Max Wolf
- Discovery site
- Heidelberg
- Discovery date
- 26 September 1906
- Alternative designations
- 1906 VK
- Observation arc
- 109.47 yr (39983 d)
- Aphelion
- 3.8828 AU (580.86 Gm )
- Perihelion
- 2.2937 AU (343.13 Gm)
- Semi major axis
- 3.0883 AU (462.00 Gm)
- Orbital period sidereal
- 5.43 yr (1982.3 d )
- Mean anomaly
- 98.063 °
- Mean motion
- 0° 10 53.796 / day
- Inclination
- 12.699°
- Longitude of ascending node
- 20.391°
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- asteroid
- Followed by
- Q155872
- Follows
- Q155851
- Parent body
- Sun
- Minor-planet group
- asteroid belt
- Diameter
- +19.153
- Orbital period
- +1987.696527112188
Show 3 more facts
Article
610 Valeska is a minor planet, specifically an asteroid, orbiting primarily in the asteroid belt. Discovered in 1906 by Max Wolf. The origin of the name is unknown, but it may be related to the provisional designation 1906 VK. In Slavic origin, it also means Glorious ruler. Photometric observations provide a rotation period of 4.9047±0.0002 h with a brightness variation of 0.17±0.03 in magnitude.
References