The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured this image of PGC 10922, an example of a lenticular galaxy — a galaxy type that lies on the border between ellipticals and spirals.
<p>Seen face-on, the image shows the disc and tightly-wound spiral structures of dark dust encircling the bright centre of the galaxy. There is also a remarkable outer halo of faint wide arcs or shells extending outwards, covering much of the picture. These are likely to have been formed by a gravitational encounter or even a merger with another galaxy. Some dust also appears to have escaped from the central structure and has spread out across the inner shells.
</p><p>An extraordinarily rich background of more remote galaxies can also be seen in the image.
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A version of this image was entered into the Hubble's Hidden Treasures image processing competition by contestant Judy Schmidt.
<p>ESA/Hubble &amp; NASA
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Acknowledgement: Judy Schmidt
<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/potw1334a/">http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/potw1334a/</a>