NGC 2685, a polar ring galaxy in Ursa Major. Imaged from the remote observatory in December and January. From Wikipedia:
The bizarre configuration could be caused by the chance capture of material from another galaxy by a disk galaxy, with the captured debris strung out in a rotating ring. Still, observed properties of NGC 2685 suggest that the rotating ring structure is remarkably old and stable.
Very, very nice detail. Reminds me of some kind of space larva inside a cocoon about to emerge!
P.S. Thanks for keeping me company tonight!
Ron B.
T5i/700D, ASI1600MM-C, ASI120MM, ASI174MM, XAGYL 7x36mm FW
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Andy, awesome image of a tiny polar ring galaxy at a mere 42 million light years distant! The detail is fantastic.
---- Chuck
Chuck M.
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Andy, You've got NGC 2685 looking like it's jetting its way to infinity and beyond!
Fantastic image you've created here.
Tom
Tom H
"Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world. Science is the highest personification of the nation because that nation will remain the first which carries the furthest the works of thought and intelligence." - Louis Pasteur
OK. I've viewed your image multiple times on my by iMac 24" monitor (which I LOVE, by the way). And this is just an amazing picture!! It seems to be in the Arp/Hubble category. I am always on the lookout for 'unusual' objects to take a picture of. This one just ROCKS!! Kudos for finding it. As I write this, I am shooting raws of M81. Hardly an unusual object. There's a cool interacting galaxy in Ursa Major coming around. Take a look at NGC 5216. Thanks for inspiring me to get out there and collect photons.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for the tip on 5216/5218. I added it to my target list. It will be a challenge due to the small size -- 1.6' x 1.2' for 5218, but I'll give it a try. Those are the kind of bizarre galaxies I just love to image.
