Galaxies · 2024

NGC 6872

A stretched spiral

One of the longest spiral galaxies known, its arms drawn out by a smaller neighbor. Chandra dots the scene with X-ray binaries.

What you’re hearing

X-ray sources as discrete notes over Hubble’s continuous optical wash. The long arm is a slow unfolding of pitch as the scan travels.

Layers

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NASA/CXC/SAO/K. Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)

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