Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Pisces (Psc)  ·  Contains:  NGC 660
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NGC 660 Galaxy, rdhand
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NGC 660 Galaxy

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NGC 660 Galaxy, rdhand
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NGC 660 Galaxy

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Description

NGC 660 is a pecular polar-ring galaxy located approximately 45 million light-years from Earth.  In this photo the ring is only visible where it crosses the upper center of the galaxy core.  It was probably formed when two galaxies collided a billion years ago.  However, it may have first started as a disk galaxy that captured matter from a passing galaxy.  Late in 2012, this polar-ring galaxy produced an enormous outburst having a magnitude of approximatel ten times brighter than a supernova explosion. The cause is not certain, but this event may have resulted from a tremendous jet being emanated from the galaxy's central blackhole.  The first polar ring galaxy was observed in 1978 and only around a dozen more have been discovered since then, making them something of a cosmic rarity.

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NGC 660 Galaxy, rdhand

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