Hoag’s Object

A galaxy so weird in appearance that it doesn’t even have the word “galaxy” in its name, the Hoag’s Object is a non-typical galaxy called a ring galaxy. Unlike most other galaxies where the density of stars falls off gradually from the core to edges, the intermediate area between the core and outer edges of the Hoag’s Object appears to be empty. Even weirder is how there is another ring galaxy within the rings of the Hoag’s object (at about 1 o’clock in the image). The morphology of the galaxy is not quite in line with our theories of galaxy formation and remains an intriguing galaxy for study.