Credit: Adam Block and Jay GaBany

A near-perfect spiral galaxy lies 90 million light years away, its bluish arms containing rings of star formation.

Stars within NGC 488 complete circular orbits at a speed of 205 miles per second (330 km/s), edging out the stars traveling at 137 miles per second (220 km/s) within our own Milky Way. Despite the high speeds, the concentric rings of star formation remain stable � not unlike a pack of racecars maintaining relative position as they round a bend on a galactic racetrack.

The bluish arms are formed by waves of star formation � similar to a stadium crowd doing the "wave" � rather than the motion of the stars.

space.com IoD