NGC 253 - Sculptor Galaxy

The galaxy is located in the southern constellation Sculptor (Sculptor) Its diameter is about 90000 light years and its distance is 11.4 million light years.

Everywhere in the galaxy we see complex structures. There are the numerous purple-red HII regions where active star formation produces a glow of ionized hydrogen gas. There are the numerous blue young star clusters and striking are the large presence of dust bands.

The strong stellar winds from young massive blue giant stars and the shock waves from numerous supernova explosions, cause dust and gas clouds to be pushed out of the plane of the spiral galaxy. Dust tendrils rise perpendicular to the plane of the disk. The angle at which we see NGC253 makes this phenomenon clearly visible. Like a panorama of a city full of smoking chimneys.