Unusual Starburst Galaxy NGC 1313

Explanation: Why is this galaxy so discombobulated? Usually, galaxies this topsy-turvy result from a recent collision with a neighboring galaxy. Spiral galaxy NGC 1313 , however, appears to be alone. Brightly lit with new and blue massive stars, star formation appears so rampant in NGC 1313 that it has been labeled a starburst galaxy . Strange features of NGC 1313 include that its spiral arms are lopsided and its rotational axis is not at the center of the nuclear bar . Pictured above , NGC 1313 spans about 50,000 light years and lies only about 15 million light years away toward the constellation of the Reticle ( Reticulum ). Continued numerical modeling of galaxies like NGC 1313 might shed some light on its unusual nature.