Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Galaxy NGC 474: Shells and Star Streams

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for July 12, 2026 is “Galaxy NGC 474: Shells and Star Streams,” an image. It is credited to Image Credit & License: CFHT , Coelum , MegaCam , J.-C. Cuillandre ( CFHT ) & G. A. Anselmi ( Coelum ). The original explanation runs about 159 words.

A starfield surrounds a complex background galaxy. The galaxy center is surrounded by numerous shells, some circular and concentric, but others colorful and filamentary. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.
Credit: Image Credit & License: CFHT , Coelum , MegaCam , J.-C. Cuillandre ( CFHT ) & G. A. Anselmi ( Coelum ) Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“What’s happening to galaxy NGC 474 ? The multiple layers of emission appear strangely complex given the relatively featureless appearance of the elliptical galaxy in less deep images.”

— APOD editors, July 12, 2026

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
July 12, 2026
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit & License: CFHT , Coelum , MegaCam , J.-C. Cuillandre ( CFHT ) & G. A. Anselmi ( Coelum )
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 159 words

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Topics in this entry

Galaxies

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

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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.