Spiral Galaxy NGC 6744 Resembles the Milky Way

Posted on June 1, 2011

ESO astronomers used the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope to capture this image of NGC 6744, a spiral galaxy that resembles our own. NGC 6744 is about 30 million light-years away in the southern constellation of Pavo (The Peacock). The galaxy is being called our galaxy's clone or twin by major news media outlets.

ESO astronomers say this view of the NGC 6744 could almost be a "picture postcard of our own Milky Way, taken and sent by an extragalactic friend."

You can view a larger image of the photograph above here.

SPACE