The Best Space Images of 2023

A Galaxy’s ‘Polar Ring’

Image: Image Credit: Jayanne English (U. Manitoba), Nathan Deg (Queen’s U.) & WALLABY Survey, CSIRO/ASKAP, NAOJ/Subaru Telescope Science Credit: N. Deg and K. Spekkens (Queen’s U.) and WALLABY survey (CSIRO/ASKAP)

This composite images shows the likely location of a gaseous ring of hydrogen that orbits a galaxy perpendicular to its plane. The ‘polar ring’ could arise in a couple theorized ways, but researchers will need to study more galaxies to understand the prominence of such structures in the universe.

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