Composite view of the Antennae Galaxies

Spitzer_ssc2004-14a1_1024

spitzer_ssc2004-14a1 September 7th, 2004

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Z. Wang (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)

This infrared image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals hidden populations of newborn stars at the heart of the colliding "Antennae" galaxies. These two galaxies, known individually as NGC 4038 and 4039, are located around 68 million light-years away and have been merging together for about the last 800 million years. The latest Spitzer observations provide a snapshot of the tremendous burst of star formation triggered in the process of this collision, particularly at the site where the two galaxies overlap.

The image is a false-color composite of infrared data from Spitzer and visible-light data from Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, Ariz. Visible light from stars in the galaxies (blue and green) is shown together with infrared light from warm dust clouds heated by newborn stars (red). Wavelengths of .44 microns are represented in blue, .70 microns in green and 8.0 microns in red.

The two nuclei, or centers, of the merging galaxies show up as yellow-white areas, one above the other. The brightest clouds of forming stars lie in the overlap region between and left of the nuclei.

Throughout the sky, astronomers have identified many of these so-called "interacting" galaxies, whose spiral discs have been stretched and distorted by their mutual gravity as they pass close to one another. The distances involved are so large that the interactions evolve on timescales comparable to geologic changes on Earth. Observations of such galaxies, combined with computer models of these collisions, show that the galaxies often become forever bound to one another, eventually merging into a single, spheroidal-shaped galaxy.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1268-ssc2004-14a1-Composite-view-of-the-Antennae-Galaxies

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy

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Image Details Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Antennae Galaxies NGC 4038 NGC 4039 Arp 244
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Type > Interacting

Distance Details Distance

Universescale2
68,000,000 light years
Spitzer_ssc2004-14a1_128
 

Position Details Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 12h 1m 53.2s
DEC = -18° 52’ 37.1”
Orientation
North is 4.5° CW
Field of View
4.3 x 4.3 arcminutes
Constellation
Corvus

Color Mapping Details Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue KPNO Optical (B-band) 440.0 nm
Green KPNO Optical (R-band) 700.0 nm
Red Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 8.0 µm
Spectrum_base
Blue
Green
Red
Spitzer_ssc2004-14a1_1280
×
ID
ssc2004-14a1
Subject Category
C.5.1.7.  
Subject Name
Antennae Galaxies, NGC 4038, NGC 4039, Arp 244
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Z. Wang (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Release Date
2004-09-07
Lightyears
68,000,000
Redshift
0.005475
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1268-ssc2004-14a1-Composite-view-of-the-Antennae-Galaxies
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Distance taken from Fast Facts and NED
Facility
KPNO, KPNO, Spitzer
Instrument
-, -, IRAC
Color Assignment
Blue, Green, Red
Band
Optical, Optical, Infrared
Bandpass
B-band, R-band, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
440, 700, 8000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
180.47148829353287, -18.876984701528151
Reference Dimension
1125.0, 1125.0
Reference Pixel
562.5, 562.5
Scale
-6.4223897965968291E-05, 6.4223897965968291E-05
Rotation
-4.4623159223417019
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Spitzer Space Telescope
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2004-14a1.tif
Metadata Date
2012-10-11
Metadata Version
1.1
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
68,000,000 light years

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