Antennae Galaxies

Galaxy	List of galaxies
NGC 4038 (left) & NGC 4039 (right). NGC 4414, a typical spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices, is about 56,000 light years in diameter and approximately 60 million light years 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...
Observation data (Epoch J2000.0)
Type	Interacting galaxies
Right ascension	12h 01m
Declination	-18° 52′
Red shift
Distance	21 Mpc
Apparent magnitude (V)	5 arc
Apparent dimensions (V)	?
Constellation	Corvus
Physical characteristics
Radius	?
Absolute magnitude (V)	?
Notable features	None
Other designations	NGC 4038 + 4039

The Antennae Galaxies (also Ringtail Galaxy, Caldwell 60, or just Antennae) are a pair of galaxies (NGC 4038 + NGC 4039) undergoing a violent collision some 90 million ly. away in the constellation Corvus. The galaxies are known as the "Antennae Galaxies" because the two long tails of stars, gas, and dust thrown out of the galaxies as a result of the collision resemble the antenna 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 Andromeda. In astronomy, an epoch is a moment in time for which celestial coordinates or orbital elements are specified. ... The Hubble sequence is a classification of galaxy types developed by Edwin Hubble in 1936. ... Interacting galaxies (Coliding galaxies) is the result of gravity of two close galaxies. ... Right ascension (RA; symbol α: Greek letter alpha; celestial longitude) is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. ... In astronomy, declination (dec) is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. ... This article is about the light phenomenon. ... The megaparsec (abbreviated Mpc) is a unit of distance used in astronomy, equal to one million parsecs. ... The apparent magnitude (m) of a star, planet or other heavenly body is a measure of its apparent brightness; that is, the amount of light received from the object. ... Orion is a remarkable constellation, visible from most places on the globe (but not always the whole year long). ... Corvus (Latin for Raven/Crow) is a small southern constellation with only 11 stars visible to the naked eye (brighter than magnitude 5. ... In classical geometry, a radius of a circle or sphere is any line segment with one endpoint on the circle (i. ... In astronomy, absolute magnitude is the apparent magnitude, m, an object would have if it were at a standardized distance away. ... The New General Catalogue (NGC) is the most well-known catalogue of deep sky objects in amateur astronomy. ... NGC 4414, a typical spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices, is about 56,000 light years in diameter and approximately 60 million light years distant. ... A light year, abbreviated ly, is the distance light travels in one year: roughly 9. ... Orion is a remarkable constellation, visible from most places on the globe (but not always the whole year long). ... Corvus (Latin for Raven/Crow) is a small southern constellation with only 11 stars visible to the naked eye (brighter than magnitude 5. ... In biology, antenna (plural: antennae) refers to the sensing organs of several arthropods. ... Classes & Orders Subclass: Apterygota Orders Archaeognatha (Bristletails) Thysanura (Silverfish) Monura - extinct Subclass: Pterygota Infraclass: Paleoptera (paraphyletic) Orders Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Protodonata - extinct Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Diaphanopteroidea - extinct Palaeodictyoptera - extinct Megasecoptera - extinct Archodonata - extinct Infraclass: Neoptera Orders Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Dermaptera (earwigs) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Protorthoptera - extinct Orthoptera (grasshoppers... Plural: nuclei In chemistry and physics, the nucleus (atomic nucleus) is the collection of protons and neutrons in the center of an atom that carries the bulk of the atoms mass and positive charge. ... A NASA artists conception of what the Milky Way would look like if seen off-axis. ... Andromeda Galaxy photographed in 1899 This image is a Galaxy Evolution Explorer observation of the large galaxy in Andromeda, Messier 31. ...

Time line

• 1.2 billion years ago: The Antennae Galaxies were two separate spiral galaxies.

• 900 million years ago: The two galaxies began to smash into each other.

• 600 million years ago: The galaxies became distorted as they extended around each other.

• 300 million years ago: The galaxies stars began starting to be flung out of both galaxies.

• Today: Two streamers of ejected stars extend far beyond the original galaxies.

A spiral galaxy is a type of galaxy in the Hubble sequence which is characterized by the following physical properties: Spiral Galaxy M74 presents a face-on view of its spiral arms. ...

External links

• Astronomy Picture of the Day, October 22, 1997: The Antennae Galaxies
• Galactic prang fingered in star formation mystery(The Register)