* Astronomy

NGC 2685 (also Helix Galaxy, Arp 336, IRAS 08517+5855, MCG 10-13-39, UGC 4666 and PGC 25065) is a magnitude +11.3 lenticular and polar-ring galaxy located 42 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.

The galaxy was discovered by German astronomer Wilhelm Tempel using a 27.94 cm (11 inch) f/19 refracting telescope at the Arcetri Observatory, Florence on the 18th August 1882.

Right Ascension 08h 55m 34.9s, Declination +58° 44' 05"  

The bizarre configuration could be caused by the chance capture of material from another galaxy by a disk galaxy, with the captured debris strung out in a rotating ring. Still, observed properties of NGC 2685 suggest that the rotating ring structure is remarkably old and stable.
Read more