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EspañolANTENNAE 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.
| Contents |
| General information |
| Timeline |
| See also |
| External links |
| References |
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.
Timeline
A full look at the Antennae,
NGC 4038 (top) and NGC 4039 (bottom)
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. 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.
Within 400 million years, the Antennae's nuclei will collide and become a single core with stars, gas, and dust around it. Observations and simulations of colliding galaxies suggest that the Antennae Galaxies will eventually form an elliptical galaxy.[1]
See also
★ Whirlpool Galaxy
External links
★ 'APOD': The Antennae Galaxies (10/22/1997)
★ 'The Register': Galactic prang fingered in star formation mystery
★ ESA/Hubble News Release
★ ESA/Hubble images of Antennae Galaxies
References
1. Dynamics of interacting galaxies, J. E. Barnes, L. Hernquist, , , Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 1992
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