Hubble spots an out-of-sync galaxy

Hubble has captured an image of the spiral galaxy NGC 4698, which appears to be out of sync with its surroundings. The galaxy, located about 55 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo, has a unique structure where its spiral arms extend in a ring-like pattern rather than winding toward the center. The galaxy's center is dominated by an elongated bulge, and the stars and gas nearest the center rotate perpendicular to the rest of the disk. Scientists believe this out-of-sync behavior may be due to the galaxy having once experienced a minor merger, which could have introduced gas and stars into the center at an angle. The data from this image are part of a study focused on the Virgo Cluster, aiming to understand how galaxies evolve and form new stars.

• NGC 4698 is one of only a few known spiral galaxies with a bulge that extends from the disk at a right angle.
• The galaxy's spiral arms are not as prominent as in typical spiral galaxies.
• The data are part of an observing program that examines the evolution and star formation in galaxies within the Virgo Cluster.
• The galaxy's structure suggests it may have undergone a minor merger, which could have influenced its current form.

AI-generated summary of the original article — see the source for the full story.