15 Mind-Blowing Pictures Of Space

This needle-like galaxy in the constellation of Draco has been given the title of Galaxy NGC 5866, or the slightly snappier Spindle Galaxy.

It isn't actually long and thin, it just looks that way because we're viewing it edge-on. NGC 5866 is a galaxy very similar to our own Milky Way, but it is about 44 million lightyears away from us.

We are able to see the bright blue light of young stars being formed in the rotating disk, and the slightest hint of a red tinge from the older stars at the center. 

If we could go outside our own galaxy and look at it from a similar angle, this is probably pretty close to what we'd see. Although, due to our side-on angle, it's actually pretty difficult to classify the Spindle Galaxy and scientists are unsure as to whether it is a lenticular or spiral shape.