APOD: 2026 March 21 – Galaxies in the River: NGC 1300 and NGC 1297
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2026 March 21
Galaxies in the River: NGC 1300 and NGC 1297
Image Credit &
Copyright:
Explanation:
Spiral NGC 1300 and elliptical NGC 1297 are galaxies that
lie on the banks of the southern constellation
Eridanus (The River).
At 70 million light-years distant or more,
both are members of the
Eridanus Galaxy Cluster.
About 100,000 light-years across, at lower left in this sharp,
galaxy group photo
NGC 1300 is seen face-on
with a prominent central bar and grand, sweeping spiral arms.
Like other
spiral galaxies,
including our own barred spiral Milky Way Galaxy, NGC 1300 is
thought to have a supermassive central black hole.
A contrast in appearance and slightly more distant, NGC 1297 is
the roughly spherical large
elliptical galaxy near the top of the frame.
With little active star formation,
elliptical galaxies
are composed of older populations of stars and are likely
he result of multiple
collisions and mergers with spirals.
Tomorrow’s picture: farewell fair planet
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Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
NASA Official: Amber Straughn
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