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Astronomy Image of the Day

Spiral Galaxy NGC 3628 Edge On Credit:

01 November 1996

Anglo-Australian Telescope Board

NASA Astronomy Image of the Day for 01 November 1996

This is what a spiral galaxy looks like sideways. This view of NGC 3628 nearly resembles our own Milky Way Galaxy, which is also known to be a spiral. The dark band across the center is absorbed starlight caused by the galaxy's own interstellar dust. NGC 3628 is the faintest member of the Leo Triplet, a group of galaxies dominated by M65 and M66. The Leo Triplet lies about 35 million light years distant. The center of NGC 3628 emits variable X-ray radiation perhaps indicating the presence of a massive black hole.

Image and explanation courtesy of NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day