NGC 3077, an irregular galaxy, has neither the structure of a spiral galaxy nor the smooth, dustless features of an elliptical. Note how smoothly the galaxy changes in brightness from the nucleus to the outermost portions. Note, too, that the smooth texture is punctuated in the outer, less luminous areas of the galaxy by dark spokelike streaks. These are areas where, it is presumed, new stars are forming. Although individual stars cannot be resolved in NGC 3077, astrono- mers assume they exist and are, in fact, the source of the galaxyΓÇÖs illumination.
Another galaxy of this pattern is NGC 5195, companion to the magnificent spiral known as the Whirlpool Galaxy.
