Lonely Galaxy Discovered on the Edge of the Void

First Posted: Jun 10, 2015 05:52 PM EDT

Most galaxies are clumped together in groups or clusters. In fact, a neighboring galaxy is usually never far away. Now, though, researchers have found a galaxy, called NGC 6503, which is located at an edge of a strangely empty patch of space called the Local Void.

NGC 6503 is 18 million light-years away from us in the northern circumpolar constellation of Draco. It spans about 30,000 light-years, which is about a third of the size of the Milky Way.

In this latest image, you can see the galaxy in striking detail. Bright red patches of gas can be seen scattered through its swirling spiral arms, mixed with bright blue regions that contain newly forming stars. Dark brown dust lanes snake across the galaxy's bright arms and center, giving it a mottle appearance.

In this case, the galaxy is on the edge of the Local Void, which is a huge stretch of space that at least 150 million light-years across. It seems completely empty of stars or galaxies. The galaxy's odd location on the edge of this empty space may tell scientists a bit more about how galaxy's form.

The new image tells researchers a bit more about this galaxy and also provides a spectacular example of one of these galaxies.

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TagsGalaxy, Galaxies