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.

Kilde:

ESO

Om billedet

Id:eso0209a
Type:Observation
Udgivelsesdato:13. marts 2002
Relaterede pressemeddelelser:eso0209
Størrelse:800 x 796 px

Om objektet

Navn:Antennae Galaxies
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Interacting
Afstand:75 million lysår
Constellation:Corvus
Kategori:Galaxies

Billedformater

Stor JPEG
113,2 KB
Skrærm JPEG
128,9 KB

Baggrundsbilleder

1024x768
165,2 KB
1280x1024
247,3 KB
1600x1200
336,3 KB
1920x1200
413,9 KB
2048x1536
514,1 KB

Koordinater

Position (RA):12 1 53.31
Position (Dec):-18° 52' 37.66"
Field of view:3.43 x 3.42 arcminutes
Orientering:Nord er 0.1° venstre fra lodret

Farver & filtre

BåndTeleskop
Optisk
B
Very Large Telescope
VIMOS
Optisk
V
Very Large Telescope
VIMOS
Infrarød
I
Very Large Telescope
VIMOS