Science & Space
Hubble finds spiral galaxy with a centre spinning out of sync
Hubble’s image of NGC 4698 reveals a rare galaxy whose central bulge and inner material rotate perpendicular to its disc.
What happened
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope observed NGC 4698, about 55 million light-years away in Virgo. Its bulge extends at a right angle to the disc, while central stars and gas rotate perpendicular to the outer disc. Astronomers link this structure to externally acquired gas or a minor merger.
Why it matters
The observation shows that a spiral galaxy’s central structure can differ sharply from its main disc. For astronomers, NGC 4698 offers evidence that outside gas—or a past minor merger—could alter how stars and gas assemble and rotate near a growing supermassive black hole.
Source: ESA