NGC 6503
This magnificent spiral galaxy is at the edge of what astronomers call the
Local Void. The Local Void is a huge volume of space that is at least 150 million
light-years across that doesn't seen to contain anything much. There are no
obvious galaxies. This void is simply part of the structure of the universe
where matter grows clumpy over time so that galaxies form clusters and chains,
which are separated by regions mostly devoid of galaxies. This results in
sort of a "soap bubble" structure on large scales. The galaxy, as photographed
by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, is especially colorful where bright red
patches of gas can be seen scattered through its spiral arms. Bright blue regions
contain newly forming stars. Dark brown dust lanes snake across the galaxy's
bright arms and center, giving it a mottled appearance.
Most galaxies are clumped together in groups or clusters. A
neighboring galaxy is never far away. But this galaxy, known as NGC
6503, has found itself in a lonely position, at the edge of a strangely
empty patch of space called the Local Void.
The Local Void is a huge stretch of space that is at least 150
million light-years across. It seems completely empty of stars or
galaxies. The galaxy's odd location on the edge of this never-land led
stargazer Stephen James O'Meara to dub it the "Lost-In-Space galaxy" in
his 2007 book, Hidden Treasures.
NGC 6503 is 18 million light-years away from us in the northern
circumpolar constellation of Draco. NGC 6503 spans some 30,000
light-years, about a third of the size of the Milky Way.
This Hubble Space Telescope image shows NGC 6503 in striking detail
and with a rich set of colors. Bright red patches of gas can be seen
scattered through its swirling spiral arms, mixed with bright blue
regions that contain newly forming stars. Dark brown dust lanes snake
across the galaxy's bright arms and center, giving it a mottled
appearance.
The Hubble Advanced Camera for Surveys data for NGC 6503 were taken
in April 2003, and the Wide Field Camera 3 data were taken in August
2013.
Source: HubbleSite
