LONDON: NASA’s Hubble telescope has beamed back images of a strange and lonely galaxy also known as NGC 6503. The images show minute details and a vibrant hue of colors.
Most known galaxies occur in clusters but this galaxy has occupied a lonely spot right at the edge of an empty patch of space called the Local Void. The Local Void is empty of stars or galaxies and is a huge stretch of space that is at least 150 million light-years across. Since there is nothing on this part, hence the area or strip is known as the local void.
The odd position of the galaxy led astronomer Stephen James O’Meara to name it the Lost-In-Space galaxy in his 2007 book, Hidden Treasures. The images reveal bright red patches of gas scattered through its swirling spiral arms. There are also bright blue regions that contain newly forming stars.
