NGC 1313 - The Topsy Turvy Galaxy

This is an image of NGC 1313, also known as the Topsy Turvy Galaxy. It is a field galaxy and barred spiral galaxy about 13 million light years away in the constellation Reticulum. The uneven shape, the ragged appearance and the strong starburst can all be explained by a galactic collision in the past. However, NGC 1313 seems to be an isolated galaxy and has no direct neighbours. Therefore, it is not clear whether it has swallowed a small companion in its past.