Antennae Galaxies

Antennae Galaxies
Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 4038 (top) and NGC 4039 (bottom)
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationCorvus[1]
Right ascension12h 01m 53.0s / 12h 01m 53.6s[2]
Declination−18° 52′ 10″ / −18° 53′ 11″[2]
Redshift1642 ± 12 / 1641 ± 9 km/s[2]
Distance45 Mly / 65 Mly
Apparent magnitude (V)11.2 / 11.1[2]
Characteristics
TypeSB(s)m pec / SA(s)m pec[2]
Size500,000 ly (150 kpc)[3][a]
Apparent size (V)5.2 × 3.1 / 3.1 × 1.6[2]
Notable featuresInteracting galaxies
Other designations
Ringtail Galaxy,[2] NGC 4038 / 4039,[2]
PGC 37967 / 37969, Arp 244,[2] Caldwell 60/61, UGCA 264/265[2]

The Antennae Galaxies (also known as NGC 4038/NGC 4039 or Caldwell 60/Caldwell 61) are a pair of interacting galaxies in the constellation Corvus. They are currently going through a starburst phase, in which the collision of clouds of gas and dust, with entangled magnetic fields, causes rapid star formation. They were discovered by William Herschel in 1785.[4]

  1. ^ R. W. Sinnott, ed. (1988). The Complete New General Catalogue and Index Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters by J. L. E. Dreyer. Sky Publishing Corporation and Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-933346-51-2.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 4038 / 4039. Retrieved 2006-12-07.
  3. ^ Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive (28 April 2017). "Exploring the Antennae". Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  4. ^ "Corvus". Universe Today. Retrieved 2006-12-07.


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