NOAO Image Gallery: Spiral Galaxies

NOAO Image Gallery

Spiral Galaxies
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NOAO is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc. under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation

The astronomical images presented on these pages are provided through the facilities of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, unless otherwise noted. If you plan to use any of these images for other than your personal enjoyment please read our conditions of use.

Spiral galaxies are rotating disk systems of stars, gas and dust. Due to their varying orientations in the sky, they may appear as face-on whirlpools, edge-on disks, or as something in between. Spirals are classified based on the tightness of their arms the size and shape of their nucleus. Those with an elongated bar-like center are called "barred spirals."