                        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.

                                2026 March 16
   A spiral galaxy fills the frame with a white center in the middle. Two
    bright arms spiral out from the center filled with red nebulas along
    their spines and surrounded by bright blue star clusters. Please see
               the explanation for more detailed information.

                     NGC 1566: The Spanish Dancer Galaxy
      Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Calzetti & the LEGUS Team, R.
                                   Chandar

   Explanation: If not perfect, then this spiral galaxy is at least one of
   the most photogenic. An island universe containing billions of stars
   and situated about 40 million light-years away toward the constellation
   of the Dolphinfish (Dorado), NGC 1566 presents a gorgeous face-on view.
   Classified as a grand design spiral, NGC 1566 shows two prominent and
   graceful spiral arms that are traced by bright blue star clusters, red
   emission nebulas, and dark cosmic dust lanes. Numerous Hubble Space
   Telescope images of NGC 1566 have been taken to study star formation,
   supernovas, and the spiral's unusually active center. NGC 1566's
   flaring center makes the spiral one of the closest and brightest
   Seyfert galaxies, likely housing a central supermassive black hole
   wreaking havoc on surrounding stars and gas.

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                                    1995)
                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
     __________________________________________________________________

       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.

