Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

NGC 2685: The Helix Galaxy

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for July 14, 2025 is “NGC 2685: The Helix Galaxy,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Image Credit & Copyright: Stefan Thrun). The original explanation runs about 157 words.

An unusual galaxy is shown that appears lens-like in overall shape yet has various rings of stars around the center. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Stefan Thrun Copyrighted Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“What is going on with this galaxy? NGC 2685 is a confirmed polar ring galaxy – a rare type of galaxy with stars, gas and dust orbiting in rings perpendicular to the plane of a flat galactic disk.”

— APOD editors, July 14, 2025

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
July 14, 2025
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Stefan Thrun
Copyright
Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 157 words

All of July 2025 → · 2025 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Galaxies

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: July 14 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.