Galaxies essentially have three different shapes. The vast majority are flattened discs, often with spiral arms; some are ellipsoids, like rugby balls; and a few are completely irregular with no symmetry.
So the discovery of a galaxy with an entirely different shape is bound to generate a flutter of interest.
Today, Alister Graham at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia and a few mates announce the discovery of a dwarf galaxy designated LEDA 074886 that is distinctly rectangular. "We affectionately call [it] the “emerald cut galaxy” given its striking resemblance to an emerald cut diamond," they say.
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