NGC 6861

Galaxy NGC 6861 features a prominent disk of dark bands circling its center. These bands are a result of large clouds of dust particles obscuring the light emitted by the stars behind them. These dust lanes are useful for working out whether we are seeing the galaxy disc edge-on, face-on or, as is the case for NGC 6861, somewhat in the middle. Dust lanes like these are typical of a spiral galaxy. The dust lanes are embedded in a white oval shape, which is made up of huge numbers of stars orbiting the center of the galaxy. This oval is, rather puzzlingly, typical of an elliptical galaxy. So which is it — spiral or elliptical? The answer is neither! NGC 6861 does not belong to either the spiral or the elliptical family of galaxies. It is a lenticular galaxy, a family which has features of both spirals and ellipticals. The relationships between these three kinds of galaxies are not yet well understood. A lenticular galaxy could be a faded spiral that has run out of gas and lost its arms, or the result of two galaxies merging. A version of this image was entered into the Hubble’s Hidden Treasures image processing competition by contestant Josh Barrington. For more information, visit: www.spacetelescope.org/images/potw1502a/