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Credit & Copyright: NASA,  
ESA,  
J. Dalcanton, B. Williams  
(Univ. Washington)  
Ground-based data: T. Rector (Univ. Alaska, Anchorage), T. Abbott, NOAO/AURA/NSF
Explanation:
This dusty island universe is one of the brightest spiral  
galaxies in the sky.  
  
Seen nearly edge-on, NGC 253 lies  
a mere 13 million light-years  
away and is the largest member of the  
Sculptor  
Group of galaxies, neighbor to our own  
local  
galaxy group.  
  
The remarkably sharp,  
close-up view is based on  
data from the Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys  
(ACS).  
  
Beginning on  
the left near the galaxy's core, the panorama  
follows filaments of dust, interstellar gas, and even individual  
stars toward the galaxy's edge at the far right, a magnificent vista  
spanning nearly 50,000 light-years.  
  
The image data are  
part of ANGST,  
the ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey Treasury,  
a program to explore our  
cosmic backyard.  
  
Ground-based data: T. Rector (Univ. Alaska, Anchorage), T. Abbott, NOAO/AURA/NSF
   
  
  
  
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: spiral galaxy - NGC 253
Publications with words: spiral galaxy - NGC 253
See also:
- APOD: 2025 September 4 Á NGC 4565: Galaxy on Edge
 - APOD: 2025 August 22 Á A Tale of Two Nebulae
 - APOD: 2025 August 19 Á Giant Galaxies in Pavo
 - APOD: 2025 August 18 Á NGC 1309: A Useful Spiral Galaxy
 - APOD: 2025 July 4 Á NGC 6946 and NGC 6939
 - APOD: 2025 June 30 Á NGC 4651: The Umbrella Galaxy
 - APOD: 2025 June 19 Á NGC 3521: Galaxy in a Bubble
 

