The Antennae galaxies
NGC4038 & NGC4039

The Antennae galaxies NGC4038 & NGC4039
The two colliding galaxies NGC4038 & NGC4039 are known as the 'Antennae' because of the long insect-like tidal streamers of stars extending out in opposite directions from the cores.
The bright blue knots in the galaxies disturbed cores are enormous star forming regions, triggered by the compression of interstellar gas due to the collision.
The Antennae galaxies are located about 63 million ly away in the southern constellation Corvus.

Technical details

OPTICS10" Newtonian f/5.2
MOUNTLosmandy G11 equatorial
CAMERAPhilips ToUCam Pro SC1 webcam
FILTERSNone
EXPOSURE50 x 121s
DATE/TIME05/04/2006 12:29 UTC
LOCATIONMy backyard observatory in west Auckland, New Zealand

Back to Deep Sky | Back to previous page