New photo of Messier 77 reveals glowing filaments reminiscent of octopus tentacles, clarifying its true identity as a spectacular spiral galaxy
The Octopus Galaxy, officially known as Messier 77 (or M77 for short), is located in the southern constellation Cetus, about 45 million light-years from us. For more than two centuries, it was mistakenly classified as a nebula or a hazy star cluster, because initial observations with the naked eye or early telescopes showed only a bright core surrounded by a thin patch of light.
Its discovery in the 18th century by comet hunters such as Charles Messier and Pierre Meulen led to its inclusion in Messier's famous catalog, but it was not until the 20th century that scientists realized that these “spiral nebulae” were separate galaxies, millions of light-years away from the Milky Way.
In the new version, released on April 15, 2025, the Hubble Space Telescope uses advanced filtering technologies and improved image processing to reveal the structure of Messier 77's glowing filaments. Red and blue stripes highlight star-forming regions along the spiral arms, while dark dust lanes crisscross the galaxy's center, giving it dramatic depth and texture.
The name “Octopus Galaxy” was suggested because of the appearance of the fiber-like arms that spread around the disk, similar to the arms of an octopus. This nickname highlights how technological improvements and scientific insights can change our understanding of cosmic objects – and sometimes even change their names.
The first image of Messier 77, released in 2013, already revealed some details, but the current update combines additional observations with different filters and advanced processing techniques, giving us a fresh and more detailed look at this fascinating “octopus galaxy.”
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