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Credit & Copyright: Nicolas Rolland,
Martin Pugh
Explanation:
Distorted galaxy NGC 2442
can be found in the southern constellation of the
flying fish,
(Piscis)
Volans.
Located about 50 million light-years away, the galaxy's two
spiral arms
extending from a pronounced central bar give it a
hook-shaped appearance in this deep colorful image,
with spiky foreground stars scattered across the telescopic field of
view.
The image also reveals the distant galaxy's
obscuring dust lanes, young blue star clusters and
reddish star forming regions
surrounding a core of yellowish light from an older population of stars.
But the star forming regions seem more concentrated along
the drawn-out (upper right)
spiral
arm.
The distorted structure is likely the result of an ancient
close encounter
with the smaller galaxy seen near the top left of the frame.
The two interacting galaxies are separated by about
150,000 light-years at the estimated distance of NGC 2442.
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Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: barred spiral galaxy
Publications with words: barred spiral galaxy
See also: