Hubble Discovers Normal Galaxy at Malin 1's Center

[newmoon]

From KenCroswell.com<br /><br />Malin 1, the prototypical giant low surface brightness galaxy, harbors a normal disk of stars, says an astronomer in California. A Hubble image reveals a barred spiral galaxy at Malin 1's center. As a result, Malin 1 may no longer be classified as a low surface brightness galaxy.<br /><br />Discovered in 1986, Malin 1 is the largest spiral galaxy known. Its spiral disk is 650,000 light-years across--several times bigger than the Milky Way's--but the stars are so spread out from one another that the disk looks extremely diffuse, having what astronomers call a low surface brightness.