A Magnificent Spiral with a Mystery, NGC 3344

NGC 3344 is a glorious spiral galaxy about half the size of the Milky Way that is located in the constellation Leo Minor. The galaxy features an outer ring swirling around an inner ring with a subtle bar structure in the center. The central regions of the galaxy are predominately populated by young stars, with the galactic fringes also featuring areas of active star formation. The nearly face-on spiral is approximately 22.5 million light-years distant and belongs to a group known as the Leo Spur, which is a branch of the Virgo Supercluster of galaxies. The high density of stars in a galaxy’s central region provides sufficient gravitational influence to affect the movement of its stars farther out. However, NGC 3344’s outer stars are moving in an unusual manner, which scientists don’t yet completely understand. Although the presence of the bar could account in part for this motion, it is also possible that the close passage of another galaxy during NGC 3344’s history plays a role.