---
title: "Astronomy Photo of the Day: 4/27/13 – Messier 77"
description: "[caption id=\"attachment_22813\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"387\"] Image Credit: Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona[/caption] This lovely galaxy is one of the best examples of an active galaxy, with the bright galactic core and the large halo of interstellar materials. The galaxy, known as Messier 77 (or NGC 1068), is a spiral galaxy located some 60 million light-years..."
date: "2014-04-27"
modified: "2014-04-27"
authors:
  - name: "Jaime Trosper"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jaimefqtq"
url: "https://futurism.com/apotd-messier-77"
categories:
  - "From Quarks to Quasars"
---

# Astronomy Photo of the Day: 4/27/13 – Messier 77

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Messier-77.jpg>)

[![Image Credit: Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Messier-77.jpg>)](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Messier-77.jpg>)
**Image Credit: Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona**

This lovely galaxy is one of the best examples of an active galaxy, with the bright galactic core and the large halo of interstellar materials.

The galaxy,[ known as Messier 77](<http://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1305/>) (or NGC 1068), is a spiral galaxy located some 60 million light-years from Earth (in the Cetus constellation). We're in a great position to study this galaxy, as its seen face-on from our perspective (this lets us see the various layers of the galaxy, rather than us merely being able to study the outermost edge). It's relative position from Earth also allows astronomers to probe the mystery of supermassive black holes, which are almost always found lurking at the galactic center of large galaxies.

This particular image of Messier 77 [is a composite](<http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2013/10/07/messier-monday-a-secretly-active-spiral-galaxy-m77/>), stitched together using images taken of the galaxy at multiple wavelengths. (including optical data, infrared, ultraviolet, x-ray and radio wavelengths) This allows us to see portions of the region that would not otherwise be discernible at one individual wavelength.

*See a larger image [here](<http://skycenter.arizona.edu/sites/skycenter.arizona.edu/files/m77s.jpg>).*

# SPIRAL GALAXIES:

## Author
Jaime is a freelance writer, who finds great joy in sharing the wonders of universe with others. She used this passion to launch "From Quarks to Quasars" in 2012.