NGC 5248 Spiral Galaxy

 I was quite surprised that I had not seen this galaxy before, it’s certainly an eye catcher.

 NGC 5248 is a prominent spiral galaxy located within the constellation Boötes. Positioned approximately 50 million light-years from Earth, it is considered relatively close in astronomical terms.

 One of the notable features of NGC 5248 is the presence of a large ring of gas and dust surrounding the central bulge. This ring, known as a "pseudo-ring," is believed to have formed due to gravitational interaction between NGC 5248 and another nearby galaxy. The pseudo-ring is an active site of star formation, where many new stars are being created.

 NGC 5248 also contains a supermassive black hole at its center, estimated to have a mass of around 300 million times that of our Sun. This black hole is surrounded by a disk of gas and dust, which emits radiation as the material spirals toward the black hole.

 Spiral galaxies like NGC 5248 are significant for understanding cosmic formation and evolution. They are believed to originate from the mergers and interactions of smaller galaxies, and their study provides vital information on the mechanisms driving galactic development and the broader processes shaping the universe. Here you can see many significant signs of these mergers.

 SWOS group: Mazlin, Parker, Forman, Magill, Hanson

Planewave 24" with Moravian C5 camera taken at Obstech, Chile

LRGB-Ha, 53x300 RGB, 61x600Lum, 40x600 HA

Image Processing: Hanson

Enjoy, Mark