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Lenticular Twist

By Harley White posted 25 days ago

  

NGC 4753 is a twisted disk galaxy...

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Lenticular Twist

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Lenticular galaxy NGC

four seven five three is a twisted disk,

or so it appears in the imagery,

with filament paths where dreamers might frisk.

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It’s laced with tracery of dusty lanes

for starry-eyed poets to romp and play

far off from our so-called earthly domains

about sixty million light-years away.

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In picture nearly edge on it is seen

with spiral arms that are quite ill-defined

through the Hubble’s resolving power keen

with elliptical shape that’s shown reclined.

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To be the result of merger ‘tis thought

more than a billion light-years in the past

with nearby dwarf galaxy when ‘twas caught

so that its formation was then recast.

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From this event, dusty pathways accrued

around the galactic nucleus where

reside in the Virgo assemblage brood

these debris trails with their intricate air.

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‘Twas spotted by William Herschel first in

seventeen eighty-four, thus it’s stated

torn apart and distorted in a spin

until this clustered form was created,

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or in such way it’s been hypothesized

as here on the ground our theories we sift,

while spinning out schemes ever improvised

whose aptness so often misses the drift.

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~ Harley White

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Some sources of inspiration were the following…

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Astronomy Picture of the Day ~ The Twisted Disk of NGC 4753

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241231.html

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Explanation: Pictured NGC 4753 is a twisted disk galaxy, where unusual dark dust filaments provide clues about its history. No one is sure what happened, but a leading model holds that a relatively normal disk galaxy gravitationally ripped apart a dusty satellite galaxy while its precession distorted the plane of the accreted debris as it rotated. The cosmic collision is hypothesized to have started about a billion years ago. NGC 4753 is seen from the side, and possibly would look like a normal spiral galaxy from the top…

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Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble; Processing: Alexander Reinartz


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Comments

20 days ago

The blending of science and art is indeed my goal in the astro-poems I compose, which you have pinpointed perfectly.  I am most grateful for your appreciation of my poem.  Thank you for your gracious words!

20 days ago

Such a beautifully woven piece! The imagery and poetic elegance truly bring NGC 4753 to life. Harley White has masterfully captured the cosmic dance of this twisted galaxy and its rich history. A perfect blend of science and art that sparks both wonder and admiration. Thank you for sharing this celestial gem!