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NGC 474

NGC 474 has wispy shells surrounding it.
NGC 474 has wispy shells surrounding it. Image: DES/DOE/Fermilab/NCSA & CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA; Acknowledgments: Image processing: DES, Jen Miller (Gemini Observatory/NSF’s NOIRLab), Travis Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage), Mahdi Zamani and Davide de Martin

Hundreds of millions of stars are seen in this image of the elliptical galaxy NGC 474. The galaxy’s shells might be tidal tails, though their cause is unknown. A larger, zoomable version of the image can be found here.