The Hubble Space Telescope has been contributing significant footage on what it's like to be out there. With its recent photo capture, a magnificent Frisbee-like galaxy appeared.
On March 20, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wrote that the wide field camera 3 (WFC3) of the Hubble Space Telescope captured a section of the NGC 1448. The NGC 1448 is actually a spiral galaxy that is around 50 million light years away from the planet Earth which is also home to the Horologium constellation.
Unlike any other spiral galaxies, the NGC 1448 tends to have a shape closer to an oval rather than the usual circular ones. According to an article in Science Daily, the NGC 1448 is unique compared to its fellow spiral galaxies such as the Messier 51 which was coined to be the "whirlpool galaxy". It exhibited a more scattered form which contributed for its shape to appear more oval. As how NASA coined it, the NGC 1448 looks like a Frisbee as it gently spins in space with its oval shape.
NASA also informed the public that spiral galaxies like the Frisbee-like NGC 1448 might appear static on photos captured by the likes of Hubble Space Telescope, but in reality, they truly move. The said space agency further elaborated on their press release that spiral galaxies have stars that move in spiral configurations. Through their motion, they also constantly move around their respective galaxy's center. Further observations also noted that the innermost stars tend to orbit faster compared to their outermost counterparts.
The Frisbee-like NGC 1448 is constantly being monitored by the NASA. There has been several developments since John Herschel discovered the spiral galaxy way back in 1835. It was recorded that the NGC 1448 has experienced four supernovas and dozens of interstellar diffusion. Another significant fact about this unique galaxy is that just this year, a supermassive black hole was found in the said galaxy.
