LEDA 42160 in the Virgo cluster undergoes significant changes in star formation due to dynamic pressure. Classified as a Magellanic spiral galaxy, this galaxy demonstrates nuances in galaxy classification beyond the main types.

This Hubble Space Telescope image shows LEDA 42160, a galaxy located about 52 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. The dwarf galaxy is one of many galaxies passing through relatively dense gas in the Virgo Cluster, a massive galaxy cluster. The pressure created by this intergalactic gas, known as damping pressure, has a dramatic effect on star formation in LEDA 42160, which is currently being studied by the Hubble Space Telescope.

LEDA 42160 belongs to the “Magellanian spiral galaxy” category, or simply type Sm, according to the de Vaucouleur galaxy classification system. Magellanic spiral galaxies can be further subcategorized as barred (SBm), non-barred (SAm), and weakly barred (SABm); where a ‘bar’ is a long band in the galactic nucleus.

Generally speaking, Magellanic spiral galaxies are dwarf galaxies with only one spiral arm. They take their name from their prototype, the Large Magellanic Cloud, the SBm galaxy. Magellanic spiral galaxies are an interesting example of how galaxy classification is actually much more detailed than just “spiral,” “elliptical,” or “irregular.”