Astronomy Picture Of The Day: Behold NGC 7331 — a stunning grand-design spiral galaxy that feels like a cosmic twin of our own Milky Way.

 

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Lying 50 million light-years away in the constellation Pegasus, this majestic island universe shines as one of the brightest and most beautiful spirals visible in northern skies. With its elegant arms sweeping outward from a bright, bulging core, NGC 7331 looks remarkably like what we imagine our galaxy would appear from a great distance. How to find itYour best guide is the Great Square of Pegasus. Look for the star Matar (Eta Pegasi), the brightest star in the northwest corner of the Square. From there, hop 4.4 degrees north — roughly the width of your fist held at arm’s length — and you’ll land right on NGC 7331.Alternatively, draw an imaginary line between Algenib (Gamma Pegasi, the southeast corner of the Great Square) and Deneb (the bright tail star of Cygnus). NGC 7331 sits almost exactly halfway along that line — a perfect celestial stepping stone.Even in modest telescopes it reveals a glowing oval disk with hints of spiral structure, while larger instruments unveil delicate dust lanes and star-forming regions along its graceful arms. It’s often called a “Mini-Milky Way”
for good http://reason.Next clear night, point your telescope toward Pegasus and catch a glimpse of this distant beauty — a reminder that the universe is filled with countless galaxies just as magnificent as our own, quietly shining across the cosmic sea.