NGC 6240

NGC 6240
NGC 6240 imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. At the centre there are three supermassive black holes spiraling closer and closer to one another.[1]
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationOphiuchus
Right ascension16h 52m 58.9s[2]
Declination+02° 24′ 03″[2]
Redshift7339 ± 9 km/s[2]
Distance400 Mly
Apparent magnitude (V)12.8[2]
Characteristics
TypeI0 pec[2]
Apparent size (V)2.1 × 1.1[2]
Notable featuresmerger remnant
Other designations
IC 4625,[2] UGC 10592,[2] PGC 59186,[2] VV 617[2]

NGC 6240, also known as the Starfish Galaxy, is a nearby ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) in the constellation Ophiuchus. It was discovered by French astronomer Édouard Stephan on 12 July 1871.[3]

The galaxy is the remnant of a merger between three smaller galaxies. The collision between the three progenitor galaxies has resulted in a single, larger galaxy with three distinct nuclei and a highly disturbed structure, including faint extensions and loops.[4]

  1. ^ "Hubble revisits tangled NGC 6240". Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 6240. Retrieved 2006-08-16.
  3. ^ Seligman, Courtney. "New General Catalogue Objects: NGC 6240". Celestial Atlas. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  4. ^ Fried, J. W.; Schulz, H. (1983). "NGC 6240 – A unique interacting galaxy". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 118: 166–170. Bibcode:1983A&A...118..166F.