NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has revealed a chaotic secret hidden within the spiral galaxy NGC 4698, according to an image released on Sept. 18, 2026. While the galaxy presents a serene appearance at first glance, its internal structure deviates significantly from the typical morphology of spiral galaxies like the Milky Way.
Like other spiral systems, NGC 4698 features spiral arms that curl within a thin disk composed of stars, gas, and dust. These arms are characterized by opaque clumps of brown dust and are dotted with small collections of bright blue stars, creating a distinct visual pattern across the galactic disk.
However, unlike many other spiral galaxies where arms wind down to the very center, NGC 4698’s delicate spiral arms are prominent only in the outer reaches of the disk. The arms appear to shy away from the galaxy’s glowing center, instead hovering in a ring-like structure around the perimeter.
This unusual configuration highlights the diversity of galactic formation and structure, offering astronomers a unique subject for study. The image provides a clear view of how this specific galaxy organizes its stellar and gaseous components differently from its more common counterparts.
The image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope and is credited to ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker, and the MAUVE-HST Team. Text credit for the release is attributed to ESA/Hubble.
<small>Source: NASA — read the original story there.</small>
