Explanation:
Peculiar
spiral galaxy Arp 78 is found within the boundaries of the head strong
constellation
Aries, some 100 million light-years
beyond the
stars and nebulae of our Milky Way galaxy.
Also known as NGC 772, the island universe is over
100 thousand light-years across and sports a single
prominent outer spiral arm in
this
detailedcosmic portrait.
Its brightest
companion
galaxy, compact NGC 770, is toward the upper right
of the larger spiral.
NGC 770's fuzzy, elliptical appearance contrasts nicely
with a spiky foreground Milky Way star in matching yellowish hues.
Tracking along sweeping dust lanes and
lined with young blue star
clusters, Arp 78's large spiral arm is likely due to
gravitational tidal interactions.
Faint streams
of material seem to connect Arp 78 with its nearby
companion galaxies.
