Euclid Telescope Unveils Stunning Image of Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 646

A stunning new image captured by the European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope showcases the barred spiral galaxy NGC 646, resembling a celestial decoration against the backdrop of space. Located in the constellation Hydrus, this galaxy was first identified in 1834 by British astronomer John Herschel, son of the noted astronomer William Herschel. NGC 646 is receding from our planet at an impressive speed of approximately 8,145 kilometers per second and is situated about 392 million light-years away, meaning its light has taken hundreds of millions of years to reach Earth.

Despite this vast distance, NGC 646 is relatively close compared to many of the billions of galaxies Euclid is set to observe during its six-year mission. By the conclusion of 2026, the European Space Agency, along with the Euclid Consortium, plans to publish initial findings from the first year of observations, which will cover around 1,900 square degrees of sky—about 14% of the total area slated for this extensive survey. These observations are expected to unveil hundreds of thousands of galaxies in unprecedented detail, providing valuable information on the processes underlying galaxy formation and evolution, as well as the increasing prevalence of barred galaxies as the universe progresses.

In the newly released image, NGC 646 is depicted alongside a smaller galaxy, PGC 6014, located to its left. Although they appear to be close companions in this view, the two galaxies are actually about 45 million light-years apart, with PGC 6014 residing at a distance of approximately 347 million light-years from Earth. Any potential gravitational interaction between them would be minimal and fleeting.