The antennae galaxies - NGC4038/9
One of the first images from the new VIMOS facility, obtained right after the moment of "first light" on February 26, 2002. It shows the famous "Antennae Galaxies" (NGC 4038/9), the result of a recent collision between two galaxies.
As an immediate outcome of this dramatic event, stars are born within massive complexes that appear blue in this composite photo, based on exposures through green, orange and red optical filters.
Individual exposures of 60 seconds each; image quality 0.6 arcsec FWHM; the field measures 3.5 x 3.5 arcmin2. North is up and East is left.
Credit:ESO
About the Image
| Id: | eso0209a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 13 March 2002 |
| Related releases: | eso0209 |
| Size: | 800 x 796 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Antennae Galaxies |
| Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Interacting |
| Distance: | 75 million light years |
| Constellation: | Corvus |
| Category: | Galaxies |
Wallpapers
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 12 1 53.31 |
| Position (Dec): | -18° 52' 37.66" |
| Field of view: | 3.43 x 3.42 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 0.1° left of vertical |
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Telescope |
|---|---|
| Optical B | Very Large Telescope VIMOS |
| Optical V | Very Large Telescope VIMOS |
| Infrared I | Very Large Telescope VIMOS |