NGC 7098 is an unusual double barred spiral galaxy 95 million light years from here in Octans. The central portion surrounding the bar is an inner ring consisting of four close wrapped spiral arms. The outer portion of the galaxy is in the form of an outer ring that likely formed from the wrapping of two spiral arms. There is obvious new star formation evident in both ring structure but not within the core area of the galaxy which is also nearly devoid of dust lanes. This gives the central portion of the galaxy a diffuse hazy appearance. At each end of the central portion are ansae which appear as bright streaks and are common to planetary ring systems and indicate high density star areas.
Imaged in LRGB on our Planewave CDK 1000 at Observatorio El Sauce, Chile.
Image Processing: Mike Selby