|   | 
Credit: Jim Misti   
(Misti  
Mountain Observatory)  
  
Explanation:
Almost every object in the above photograph is a galaxy.   
  
The Coma Cluster of Galaxies   
pictured above is one of the densest   
clusters known - it contains thousands of   
galaxies.   
  
Each of these galaxies houses billions of stars -   
just as our own Milky Way Galaxy does.   
  
Although nearby when compared to most other   
clusters,   
light from the Coma Cluster   
still takes hundreds of millions of years to reach us.   
  
In fact, the   
Coma Cluster is so big it takes light   
millions of years just to go from one side to the other!   
  
Most galaxies in Coma and other clusters are   
  
ellipticals,   
while most   
galaxies outside of clusters are   
spirals.   
  
The nature of   
Coma's X-ray emission is   
still being investigated.  
  
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Coma Cluster
Publications with words: Coma Cluster
See also:
