NGC 1097

Is a barred spiral galaxy 50 million light years away in Fornax.There are a number of interesting features. The galaxy contains a super massive black hole 140 million times greater than our sun. The black hole is surrounded by a ring replete with new star formation.
The ring is lit by an influx of material moving towards the central bar of the galaxy. The galaxy contains four optical jets (one of which is extremely faint) that seem to emanate from the nucleus region. Studies have determined the jets are not emissions but are made up of stars. There are two satellite galaxies NGC 1097 A and B. A is a peculiar galaxy which is orbiting only 42000 light years from the center of NGC 1097 while B is a dwarf galaxy which was discovered by emissions and has not been well studied.

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Imaged in LRGB and H alpha on our Planewave CDK 1000 at Observatorio El Sauce, Chile

Image Processing: Mike Selby and Mark Hanson

Enjoy, Mark & Mike