Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]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.

                                 2025 May 26
    [2]An oval galaxy is shown against a field of stars. The outer rings
    shows many bright blue stars. In the center is a bright nucleus with
   eight spikes jutting out. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                      Spiral Galaxy NGC 2566 from Webb
            Image Credit: [3]ESA/Webb, [4]NASA & [5]CSA, A. Leroy

   Explanation: What’s happening in the center of spiral galaxy NGC 2566?
   First, the eight rays that appear to be coming out of the center in the
   [6]featured [7]infrared [8]image are not real — they are [9]diffraction
   [10]spikes caused by the mechanical structure of the [11]Webb space
   telescope itself. The [12]center of NGC 2566 is bright but not
   considered unusual, which means that it likely contains a supermassive
   black hole, although currently [13]not very active. At only 76 million
   [14]light years away, the light we see from NGC 2566 today left when
   [15]dinosaurs roamed the Earth. The picturesque galaxy is close enough
   so that [16]Earthly telescopes, including [17]Webb and [18]Hubble, can
   resolve the turbulent clouds of gas and dust where [19]stars can form
   and so allows study of [20]stellar evolution. NGC 2566, similar in size
   to our [21]Milky Way Galaxy, is notable for its bright [22]central bar
   and its prominent outer spiral arms.

                  Tomorrow's picture: colorful star clouds
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    Authors & editors: [34]Robert Nemiroff ([35]MTU) & [36]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([37]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [38]Specific rights apply.
            [39]NASA Web Privacy, [40]Accessibility, [41]Notices;
                A service of: [42]ASD at [43]NASA / [44]GSFC,
                         [45]NASA Science Activation
                           & [46]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2505/NGC2256_Webb_1280.jpg
   3. https://esawebb.org/
   4. https://www.nasa.gov/
   5. https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/
   6. https://esawebb.org/images/potm2412b/
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/07_infraredwaves/
   8. https://esawebb.org/images/potm2412b/
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffraction_spike
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap010415.html
  11. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241124.html
  13. https://i.pinimg.com/736x/31/e1/0d/31e10d86eb51ff84c9bcba9cb535b116.jpg
  14. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretaceous
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_optical_reflecting_telescopes#/media/File:Comparison_optical_telescope_primary_mirrors.svg
  17. https://esawebb.org/images/potm2412a/
  18. https://esahubble.org/images/potw2451a/
  19. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/types/
  20. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/
  21. https://science.nasa.gov/resource/the-milky-way-galaxy/
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250426.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250525.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  29. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  32. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250526
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250527.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  36. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  37. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  42. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  45. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  46. http://www.mtu.edu/