NGC 1097

NGC 1097, also known as Caldwell 67, is a barred spiral galaxy located approximately 45 million light-years away in the constellation Fornax. It was discovered by William Herschel on 9 October 1790.

The galaxy hosts a supermassive black hole at its center, estimated to be 140 million times the mass of the Sun. Surrounding the black hole is a prominent ring of star-forming regions, about 5,000 light-years in diameter, fueled by gas and dust spiraling inward due to the galaxy’s central bar.

Captured on Vespera II over 25 hours.