Gallery: Space Photos of the Week: A Galaxy With a Big, Dark Secret

  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Nebula and Outer Space
    <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/hubble-finds-a-lenticular-galaxy-standing-out-in-the-crowd">ESA</a>
    01

    SPoW-Sept15-08.jpg

    A lenticular galaxy, like the bright light shining in this photo captured by NASA’s Hubble telescope, is more unusual than elliptical and spiral galaxies. Studies suggest this one contains a huge black hole.
  • Image may contain Vehicle Transportation Spaceship and Aircraft
    <a href="http://m.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Gaia/Gaia_s_billion-star_map_hints_at_treasures_to_come">ESA</a>
    02

    SPoW-Sept15-02.jpg

    This sky map of galaxies and globular clusters, documented by ESA’s Gaia satellite, is part of the largest survey of celestial objects yet.
  • Image may contain Nature Storm and Hurricane
    <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/some-ancient-mars-lakes-came-long-after-others">NASA/JPL-Caltech</a>
    03

    SPoW-Sept15-06.jpg

    These lakes and streams on Mars’ surface appeared roughly a billion years after an earlier era of wet conditions on the planet, suggesting that there have been multiple periods of weather conditions suitable for microbial life on Mars.
  • Image may contain Nature Outdoors Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space and Night
    <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/hubble-takes-close-up-look-at-disintegrating-comet">NASA, ESA</a>
    04

    SPoW-Sept15-03.jpg

    In this photo, Hubble captured a comet in the act of breaking apart, approximately 67 million miles from Earth. The blocks, made of ice and dust, are each about the size of a building; they’re drifting away from the comet at the walking speed of an adult, scattering along a 3,000-mile trail.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Planet and Globe
    <a href="http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21046r">NASA/JPL-Caltech</a>
    05

    SPoW-Sept15-07.jpg

    NASA’s Cassini spacecraft captured this image of Saturn’s northern hemisphere. Saturn, where one year lasts for 30 Earth years, will approach its summer solstice in May 2017.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space and Outdoors
    <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/fighting-cancer-with-space-research">Caltech</a>
    06

    SPoW-Sept15-04.jpg

    Some galaxies, including NGC 3718 and NGC 3729, pictured above, are algorithmically analyzed by machines able to recognize astrophysical similarities. The technique is now also used on images of cancer.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Outdoors Nature Light and Flare
    <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1631/">ESO</a>
    07

    SPoW-Sept15-01.jpg

    This black hole has had a tough time in the past five years; not enough glowing fuel has fallen into it, so it doesn’t shine as brightly as it could.
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