NGC 3521 Bubble Galaxy

NGC 3521, also known as the Bubble Galaxy, is a fascinating spiral galaxy located about 40 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Leo.

A Flocculent spiral, unlike some galaxies with grand, winding arms, NGC 3521 has shorter, irregular arms with patches of star-forming regions scattered throughout. This "woolly" appearance gives it the nickname "Bubble Galaxy." Surrounding the galaxy is a faint, bubble-like structure thought to be formed by debris and stars ripped from smaller galaxies by NGC 3521's gravity. While faint, NGC 3521 has a hint of a central bar structure and a weak inner ring, adding to its complexity.

Estimated to be around 13.26 billion years old.

Boasts an apparent mass of about 80 billion solar masses, indicating a substantial gravitational pull.

The center of the galaxy contains both an HII region (active star formation) and a LINER (low-ionization nuclear emission-line region), suggesting complex activity.

Discovered in 1784 by William Herschel.

Visible through backyard telescopes as a glowing, rounded object, hence the nickname.