![Galaxy NGC 5861, imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Riess et al. Galaxy NGC 5861, imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Riess et al.](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/48/2020/05/potw2019a-5464e24-scaled.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
This galaxy, named NGC 5861, lies about 85 million lightyears away in the constellation of Libra. It's an intermediate spiral galaxy, which means its shape is somewhere between a barred spiral galaxy, like our Milky Way, and an unbarred spiral galaxy.
Barred spiral galaxies like our home galaxy are so-called because they appear to have a bar-like structure of stars and gas running through their centre.
Image stats
Observatory Hubble Space Telescope
Release date 11 May 2020
Image credit ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Riess et al.