Neighboring galaxy is same size as our own

[CLICK ON IMAGE FOR HIGH RESOLUTION, Petri Kehusmaa, Harlingten Atacama Observatory]

neighborLarge spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is seen edge-on near the center of this cosmic galaxy portrait.

In fact, NGC 4945 is almost the size of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Its own dusty disk, young blue star clusters, and pink star forming regions standout in the sharp, colorful telescopic image.

About 13 million light-years distant toward the expansive southern constellation Centaurus, NGC 4945 is only about six times farther away than Andromeda, the nearest large spiral galaxy to the Milky Way. …

Its obscured but active nucleus qualifies the gorgeous island universe as a Seyfert galaxy and home to a central supermassive black hole.

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