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   CHRS: LATIN-1 2   
                           Astronomy Picture of the Day   
      
       Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our   
         fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation   
                       written by a professional astronomer.   
      
                                   2025 July 14   
      An unusual galaxy is shown that appears lens-like in overall shape yet   
           has various rings of stars around the center. Please see the   
                    explanation for more detailed information.   
      
                            NGC 2685: The Helix Galaxy   
                      Image Credit & Copyright: Stefan Thrun   
      
      Explanation: What is going on with this galaxy? NGC 2685 is a confirmed   
      polar ring galaxy - a rare type of galaxy with stars, gas and dust   
      orbiting in rings perpendicular to the plane of a flat galactic disk.   
      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 helix structure is remarkably old and stable.   
      In this sharp view of the peculiar system also known as Arp 336 or the   
      Helix galaxy, the strange, perpendicular rings are easy to trace as   
      they pass in front of the galactic disk, along with other disturbed   
      outer structures. NGC 2685 is about 50,000 light-years across and 40   
      million light-years away in the constellation of the Great Bear (Ursa   
      Major).   
      
                Piece it All Together: Astronomy Puzzle of the Day   
                       Tomorrow's picture: collapse on Mars   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.   
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                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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