NGC 253: The Sculptor Galaxy

NGC 253 is not only one of the brightest spiral galaxies visible, it is also one of the dustiest . Discovered in 1783 by Caroline Herschel in the constellation of Sculptor , NGC 253 lies only about ten million light-years distant. NGC 253 is the largest member of the Sculptor Group of Galaxies , the nearest group to our own Local Group of Galaxies . The dense dark dust accompanies a high star formation rate, giving NGC 253 the designation of starburst galaxy . Visible in the above photograph is the active central nucleus , also known to be a bright source of X-rays and gamma rays .