Galaxies spin clockwise?

fionacat1 · Post by **fionacat1** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 10:37 am

I'm a non-astronomer, non-scientist.

Quick question. I've noticed on the APOD that galaxies all seem to spin in a clockwise direction. Is this so? Don't any of them spin in a counter-clockwise direction?

Thanks.

Pete Peterman

gordhaddow · Post by **gordhaddow** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 12:55 pm

Sort of depends on whether we're seeing them from the 'top' or the 'bottom', doesn't it? It also depends on whether the images they are showing us have been 'corrected' for presentation, or whether they are still the reversed images as recorded by the receivers.

Empeda2 · Post by **Empeda2** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 1:21 pm

No, we view many different galaxies at many different angles, as ar as I'm aware there no relation of that sort. Worth a question though!

fionacat1 · Post by **fionacat1** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 4:36 pm

Thanks for the replies!

Pete Peterman

harry · Post by **harry** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:48 am

Ok

sometimes seeing the spins of colliding galaxies can give you some form of satisfaction

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap041121.html

Both have opposite spin