NGC 1313 Topsy Turvy Galaxy

Capture

Seestar s50 Pro 560 stacks

Date

12 October 2026

Location

Camden, NSW

Original

1174 × 2088 px

NGC 1313 Topsy Turvy Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy about 14 million light-years away in the southern constellation of Reticulum. At around 50,000 light-years across, it is roughly half the size of our Milky Way. It is a field galaxy, meaning it does not belong to a larger group or cluster and drifts through space largely on its own. Its spiral arms are lopsided, and it does not rotate around the centre of its central bar. Its uneven, ragged shape and intense star formation may be the result of a past encounter with a smaller galaxy. Star formation is so vigorous that NGC 1313 is classed as a starburst galaxy, lit up by clusters of hot, massive young blue stars. Apparent magnitude 9.2

See it in the galaxies gallery