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
- 31 March 1916
- Pronunciation
- / s ɪ s ɪ ˈ ɡ æ m b ɪ s /
- Alternative designations
- 1916 ZG; A913 JB;, 1937 QE; 1939 FA1;, 1969 FN
- Observation arc
Article
823 Sisigambis is an asteroid belonging to the Flora family in the Main Belt. Its diameter is about 17 km, and it has an albedo of 0.179. Its rotation period is unknown but appears to be greater than at least 12 hours. The asteroid is named after Sisygambis, the mother of Darius III of Persia.
Captured by Alexander the Great at the Battle of Issus, Sisygambis became devoted to him, and Alexander referred to her as "mother". Having learned of Alexander's death, she had become depressed and had herself sealed into her rooms and refused to eat. She is said to have died of grief and starvation four days later.