Spiral Galaxy NGC 2841

A mere 46 million light-years distant, spiral {galaxy} {NGC 2841} can be found in planet Earth’s {night sky} toward the northern constellation of Ursa Major.

This sharp image centered on the gorgeous island universe also captures spiky foreground {Milky Way} stars and more distant background galaxies within the same telescopic field of view. It shows off the bright nucleus of {NGC 2841}, along with its inclined galactic disk, and faint outer regions.

{Dust} lanes, small star-forming regions, and young {star clusters} are embedded in the galaxy’s patchy, tightly wound spiral arms. In contrast, many other spirals exhibit broader, sweeping arms with large star-forming regions.

{NGC 2841} has a diameter of over 150,000 light-years, making it even larger than our own {Milky Way}. X-ray images suggest that extreme outflows from giant stars and stellar explosions create plumes of hot gas extending into a halo around {NGC 2841}.

Marvel at this example of {astronomical wonders} in the {cosmos}.