Description | This is a highly disturbed galaxy, no doubt, but I'm a bit puzzled why "disturbance of interior absorption" is the most salient feature here. As a first approximation, young galaxies start with a coherent shape, often sprial and circular. As the galaxy matures and evolves through gravitational interactions with other galaxies, some sort of elliptical shape is often preserved, as well as a high degree of symmetry. This galaxy has been severely elongated in one direction and cut off in the other. The core appears to be separated into two planes: the top level, smaller, perhaps showing the remnants of a formerly "S" curved bar. The lower level, perhaps twice as long, and rotated counter-clockwise 10 or 15 degrees. |