The presented image was obtained by a Dark energy Camera mounted on the 4-meter Victor Blanco Telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. It shows the galaxy NGC 1808.
NGC 1808 is located at a distance of 42 million light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Columba. Like our Milky Way, it is classified as a spiral galaxy with a bar. This is the name of the structure crossing the center, consisting of stars and interstellar gas. It connects the core with the spiral arms and acts as a kind of “fuel pipeline”, passing through the gas from the spiral arms.
The core of NGC 1808 shows increased activity, indicating the absorption of matter by a supermassive black hole located in it. In addition, the galaxy has recently experienced a flare of star formation. This is evidenced by the blue ring surrounding the galactic center. It consists of star clusters filled with young luminaries and supernova remnants.
According to astronomers, the flare of star formation and the increased activity of the core of NGC 1808 are the result of its tidal interaction with the neighboring galaxy NGC 1792. Bands of dark dust, formed as a result of large gas emissions from its central region, stretch across the middle part of NGC 1808. The mildly glowing outer arms surrounding the galaxy are slightly curved, which again indicates a tidal interaction with NGC 1792. It could lead to the appearance of the asymmetric shape of NGC 1808 and the release of gas, which led to accelerated star formation.
You can also read about the brightest supernova in recent decades, which recently broke out in a neighboring galaxy.
According to https://noirlab.edu
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