NGC 6300 is an intriguing barred spiral galaxy in the constellation of Ara. This near-infrared image with FLAMINGOS-2 shows the galaxy’s complex arm structure forming a spectacular ring of star formation. The galaxy’s bar also has a strong vein of dust that almost obscures its bright active nucleus –– whose prodigious energy is the result of matter accreting onto a black hole with an estimated mass of 280,000 Suns.

NGC 6300 is a barred Seyfert spiral galaxy located in the constellation Ara. It is designated as SB(rs)b in the galaxy morphological classification scheme and was discovered by the Scottish astronomer James Dunlop on 30 June 1826. NGC 6300 is located at about 51 million light years away from earth. It is suspected that a massive black hole (300,000 times the mass of Sun) may be at its center, pulling all the nearby objects into it. In turn, it emits large amounts of X-rays.