SCIENCE

46 million light-years away in Leo, a spiral galaxy stuns with its elegant, pinwheel-like arms.

By Aniket Chakraborty

June 4, 2025

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This is NGC 3507—a barred spiral galaxy captured in sharp detail by the Hubble Space Telescope.

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Though it seems alone, NGC 3507 has a cosmic companion just outside Hubble’s current view.

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Meet NGC 3501—a fellow spiral galaxy seen edge-on, appearing like a slender silver streak.

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The galactic pair offers scientists two stunning angles of spiral structure—face-on and sideways.

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Rich features like star clusters, dust lanes, and spiral curves glow clearly at this close distance.

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Faint, far-off galaxies dot the deep-space backdrop, offering glimpses into the ancient cosmos.

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Some background galaxies appear yellow or orange, hinting at their age and evolving chemistry.

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NGC 3507 and 3501 help astronomers refine our understanding of spiral galaxy dynamics and design.

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In Leo’s sky, this cosmic duo reminds us how orientation alters what we see across the universe.

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