Galaxy M106 has 'unusual set of spiral arms', NASA's image stuns internet

On vember 17, NASA shared a stunning im of galaxy Messier 106 with its unusual set of spiral arms captured by Hubble. Taking to Instagram, ncy informed that iconic photograph was taken as a collaboration between Hubble and amateur astromers combining observations from Hubble and from astrophotographers. Kwn as one of nearer galaxies, M106, is located in constellation Canes Venatici ( hunting dogs) at some distance from Big Dipper in rrn Sky, according to NASA’s Sky and Telescope.

galaxy is dominated by blue spiral arms and red dust lanes near nucleus, as featured in NASA’s im. Meanwhile, core of M106 can be seen illuminated brightly with radio waves and X-rays as  twin jets are seen running length of galaxy. “An unusual central glow makes M106 one of closest examples of  Seyfert class of galaxies, where vast amounts of glowing gas are thought to be falling into a central massive black hole,” NASA explained in a release. Seyfert galaxies are kwn to have low-lumisity of phemen observed in quasars. 

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Black hole powers nucleus

According to NASA, a massive black hole powers nucleus of this galaxy and UV continuum radiation causes  rmal emission of heated gases that forms an accretion disk-like structure. Messier 106 lies at a distance of 23.7 million light-years and its ground-based im were taken by amateur astromer Robert Gendler. “Most spiral galaxies only have one pair of arms, but M106 has an extra set, seen here as red wisps of gas.

[A swirling disk of stars and gas, M106's appearance is dominated by blue spiral arms and red dust lanes near nucleus. Credit: NASA]

''Unlike or arms, se two extra arms are made up of hot gas rar than stars,” NASA revealed. Furr, it added that extra arm on M106 is indirect result of violent churning of matter around black hole. mystical galaxy was found by Charles Messier’s observing assistant, Pierre Méchain, in 1781 and galaxy can best be observed on a telescope in month of May. 

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