Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 3259

NGC 3259 is a bright, barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear. The galaxy is a known source of X-ray emission and is classified as a Seyfert type 2 for its high-luminosity active galactic nucleus. It likely hosts a supermassive black hole at its center. The spiral arms of the galaxy contain dark lanes of dust and gas, ideal spawning grounds for stars. Bright, young clusters of hot stars appear along the arms, giving them an overall bluish hue. The galaxy has a small companion (visible to the left of the image), a much smaller galaxy that is likely orbiting NGC 3259. In the background of this image, numerous distant galaxies can be seen — identifiable by their elliptical shapes.