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Hubble’s Double Galaxy Gaze: Leda and NGC 4424

large diffuse galaxy with smaller galaxies nearby

Two galaxies are clearly visible in this Hubble image, the larger of which is NGC 4424. Text credit: European Space Agency Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

Some astronomical objects have endearing or quirky nicknames, inspired by mythology or their own appearance. Take, for example, the constellation of Orion (The Hunter), the Sombrero Galaxy, the Horsehead Nebula, or even the Milky Way. However, the vast majority of cosmic objects appear in astronomical catalogs and are given rather less poetic names based on the order of discovery.

Two galaxies are clearly visible in this Hubble image, the larger of which is NGC 4424. This galaxy is cataloged in the New General Catalog of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars (NGC), which was compiled in 1888...

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