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Credit & Copyright: Johannes Schedler  
(Panther Observatory)  
  
  
Explanation:
This very sharp  
telescopic vista features  
the last object in the modern version of Charles  
Messier's catalog  
of bright clusters and nebulae -  
Messier 110.  
  
A dwarf elliptical galaxy,  
M110 (aka NGC 205) is actually a  
bright satellite of the  
large spiral galaxy  
Andromeda,  
making M110 a fellow member  
of the local  
group of galaxies.  
  
Seen through a foreground of nearby stars,  
M110 is about 15,000 light-years across.  
  
That makes it comparable  
in size to satellite galaxies of our own Milky Way,  
the Large and  
Small Magellanic Clouds.  
  
Though ellipitcal galaxies  
are normally thought to be lacking in gas and dust to form new stars,  
M110 is known to contain  
young stars, and faint dust clouds  
can easily be seen in this detailed image at about the  
7 and 11 o'clock positions relative to the galaxy center.   
  
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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: M 110 - NGC 205 - dwarf galaxy - Local Group of Galaxies
Publications with words: M 110 - NGC 205 - dwarf galaxy - Local Group of Galaxies
See also:
