Most galaxies
don’t have any rings of stars and gas — why does M94 have two? First, spiral galaxy M94 has an inner ring of newly formed stars
surrounding its nucleus, giving it not only an unusual appearance but also a strong interior glow. A leading origin
hypothesis holds
that an elongated knot of stars known as a bar rotates in M94 and has generated a burst of star formation in this inner ring. Observations have also revealed another ring, an outer ring,
one that is more faint, different in color, not closed, and relatively complex.
What caused this outer ring is currently unknown. M94, pictured here, spans about 45,000 light years in total, lies about 15 million light years away,
and can be seen with a small telescope toward the constellation of the Hunting Dogs (Canes Venatici).
Image & info via APOD
Image
Credit & Copyright: Brian Brennan
Source: M94: A
Double Ring Galaxy – Scents of Science (myfusimotors.com)
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