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Encyclopedia > Antennae galaxies
Antennae Galaxies

NGC 4038 (left) & NGC 4039 (right) Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x1270, 1479 KB) This new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the Antennae galaxies (NGC 4038 & 4039) is the sharpest yet of this merging pair of galaxies. ...

Observation data: J2000 epoch
Constellation: Corvus[1]
Right ascension: 12h 01m 53.0s / 12h 01m 53.6s[2]
Declination: -18° 52′ 10″ / -18° 53′ 11″[2]
Redshift: 1642 ± 12 / 1641 ± 9 km/s[2]
Distance:
Type: SB(s)m pec / SA(s)m pec[2]
Apparent dimensions (V): 5′.2 × 3′.1 / 3′.1 × 1′.6[2]
Apparent magnitude (V): 11.2 / 11.1[2]
Notable features: Interacting galaxies
Other designations
Ringtail Galaxy,[2] NGC 4038 / 4039,[2]
PGC 37967 / 37969, Arp 244[2]
See also: Galaxy, List of galaxies

The Antennae Galaxies (also known as NGC 4038/NGC 4039) are a pair of interacting galaxies in the constellation Corvus. They were both discovered by Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel in 1785.[citation needed]
The J2000. ... In astronomy, an epoch is a moment in time for which celestial coordinates or orbital elements are specified. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Corvus (IPA: , Latin: ) is a small southern constellation with only 11 stars visible to the naked eye (brighter than magnitude 5. ... Equatorial Coordinates Right ascension (abbrev. ... In astronomy, declination (abbrev. ... Redshift of spectral lines in the optical spectrum of a supercluster of distant galaxies (right), as compared with that of the Sun (left). ... A kilometer (Commonwealth spelling: kilometre), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1,000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ... Look up second in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Astronomers classify galaxies based on their overall shape (elliptical, spiral or barred spiral) and further by the specific properties of the individual galaxy (for example degree of ellipse, number of spirals or definition of bar). ... The angular diameter of an object as seen from a given position is the diameter measured as an angle. ... The apparent magnitude (m) of a star, planet or other celestial body is a measure of its apparent brightness as seen by an observer on Earth. ... Interacting galaxies (Coliding galaxies) is the result of gravity of two close galaxies. ... The New General Catalogue (NGC) is the most well-known catalogue of deep sky objects in amateur astronomy. ... The Principal Galaxies Catalogue (PGC) is an astronomical catalogue that contains all available primary information for each of the known galaxies: morphological type, major and minor axes, magnitude, radial velocity and position angle. ... The Antennae Galaxies (Arp 244) The Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies (APG, majoraly called Arp galaxies) is a catalog of peculiar galaxies produced by Halton Arp. ... NGC 4414, a typical spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices, is about 17,000 parsecs in diameter and approximately 20 million parsecs distant. ... List of galaxies: Abell 1835 IR1916 AM 0644-741 Andromeda Galaxy (M31/NGC 224) Andromeda I Andromeda II Andromeda III Aquarius Dwarf Barnards Galaxy (NGC 6822) Black Eye Galaxy (M64/NGC 4826) Bodes Galaxy (M81/NGC 3031) Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy Carina Dwarf Centaurus A Galaxy Draco Dwarf Fornax... The New General Catalogue (NGC) is the most well-known catalogue of deep sky objects in amateur astronomy. ... Interacting galaxies (Colliding galaxies) is the result of gravity of two close galaxies. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Corvus (IPA: , Latin: ) is a small southern constellation with only 11 stars visible to the naked eye (brighter than magnitude 5. ... Sir Frederick William Herschel, FRS KH (November 15, 1738 – August 25, 1822) was a German-born British astronomer and composer who became famous for discovering the planet Uranus. ... 1785 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Contents

General information

The Antennae are undergoing a galactic collision. Located in the NGC 4038 group with five other galaxies, these two galaxies are known as the 'Antennae' because the two long tails of stars, gas and dust thrown out of the galaxies as a result of the collision resemble the antennae of an insect. The nuclei of the two galaxies are joining to become one supergalaxy. Most galaxies probably undergo at least one significant collision in their lifetimes. This is likely the future of our Milky Way when it collides with the Andromeda Galaxy. In 2004 a supernova, SN 2004gt, was observed in NGC 4038. An artists impression of interacting galaxies Interacting galaxies (Colliding galaxies) is the result of one galaxys gravity disturbing another galaxy. ... The NGC 4038 group (also called the Antennae group) is a Galaxy group consisting of the Antennae Galaxies plus others in the Corvus and Crater constellations. ... STAR is an acronym for: Organizations Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers], the self-regulatory body for the entertainment ticket industry in the UK. Society for Telescopy, Astronomy, and Radio, a non-profit New Jersey astronomy club. ... The interstellar medium (or ISM) is the name astronomers give to the tenuous gas and dust that pervade interstellar space. ... Insects display a wide variety of antennal shapes. ... Insects (Class Insecta) are a major group of arthropods and the most diverse group of animals on the Earth, with over a million described species—more than all other animal groups combined. ... The nucleus of a galaxy is a large feature, most easily observed in spiral galaxies. ... The Milky Way as seen from Death Valley The Milky Way is the galaxy where the Solar System (and the Earth) is located. ... M31 in a small telescope The Andromeda Galaxy (IPA: , also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224; older texts often called it the Andromeda Nebula) is a spiral galaxy approximately 2. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Multiwavelength X-ray image of the remnant of Keplers Supernova, SN 1604. ...


Timeline

A full look at the Antennae,
NGC 4038 (top) and NGC 4039 (bottom)

About 1.2 billion years ago, the Antennae were two separate galaxies. NGC 4038 was a spiral galaxy and NGC 4039 was a barred spiral galaxy. Before the galaxies collided, NGC 4039 was larger than NGC 4038.[citation needed] 900 million years ago, the Antennae began to approach one another, looking similar to NGC 2207 and IC 2163. 600 million years ago, the Antennae passed through each other, looking like the Mice Galaxies. 300 million years ago, the Antennae's stars began to be released from both galaxies. Today the two streamers of ejected stars extend far beyond the original galaxies, making the antennae shape. Image File history File links Antennen-galaxies2. ... Image File history File links Antennen-galaxies2. ... It has been suggested that spiral nebula be merged into this article or section. ... NGC 1300, viewed nearly face-on. ... NGC 2207 and IC 2163 are a pair of spiral galaxies about 144 million light-years away in the constellation Canis Major. ... The Mice Galaxies ar two spiral galaxies in the constellation Coma Berenices. ...


Within 400 million years, the Antennae's nuclei will collide and become a single core with stars, gas, and dust around it.[citation needed] Observations and simulations of colliding galaxies suggest that the Antennae Galaxies will eventually form an elliptical galaxy.[3]


See also

The Whirlpool Galaxy (also known as Messier 51, M51, or NGC 5194) is an interacting[3] grand-design[4] spiral galaxy located at a distance of approximately 23 million light-years in the constellation Canes Venatici. ...

External links

References

  1. ^ R. W. Sinnott, editor (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. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Results for NGC 4038 / 4039. Retrieved on 2006-12-07.
  3. ^ J. E. Barnes, L. Hernquist (1992). "Dynamics of interacting galaxies". Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics 30: 705-742. 

  Results from FactBites:
 
Colliding galaxies make love, not war (438 words)
A new Hubble image of the Antennae galaxies is the sharpest yet of this merging pair of galaxies.
As the two galaxies smash together, billions of stars are born, mostly in groups and clusters of stars.
As the two galaxies interact, billions of stars are born, mostly in groups and clusters of stars.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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