NGC 7531

NGC 7531 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Grus. It is estimated to be approximately 60 million light-years from Earth and is a member of the NGC 7582 Group of galaxies.

NGC 7531 exhibits a prominent bar structure extending across its central region. Spiral arms emanate from the ends of the bar, showcasing active star formation regions that appear as bright blue patches in optical images. These regions are indicative of ongoing star birth.

The galaxy was discovered on September 30, 1834, by astronomer John Herschel. It has a relatively high surface brightness and is considered a relatively face-on spiral galaxy when viewed from Earth.

Further observations have revealed the presence of a supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center. Although it doesn't exhibit the strong activity associated with active galactic nuclei (AGN), it still influences the dynamics of the inner regions of NGC 7531. The galaxy's morphological classification is typically SB(s)b, indicating a barred spiral with moderately tightly wound spiral arms.