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Credit & Copyright: Ken Crawford
(Rancho Del Sol Observatory)
Explanation:
Across the heart of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster lies
a string of galaxies known as
Markarian's Chain.
Prominent in Markarian's Chain are these two interacting
galaxies, NGC 4438 (left) and NGC 4435 - also known as The Eyes.
About 50 million light-years away, the two
galaxies appear
to be about 100,000 light-years apart in
this
sharp close-up, but have likely approached
to within an estimated 16,000 light-years of each other
in their cosmic past.
Gravitational tides from
the
close encounter have ripped away at
their stars, gas, and dust.
The more massive NGC 4438 managed to hold on
to much of the material torn out in the
collision,
while material from the smaller NGC 4435 was more
easily lost.
The remarkably deep image of this crowded region
of the universe also
includes many more distant background galaxies.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: NGC 4438 - interacting galaxies - Virgo Cluster
Publications with words: NGC 4438 - interacting galaxies - Virgo Cluster
See also:
- APOD: 2025 March 12 Á NGC 772: The Fiddlehead Galaxy
- Peculiar Galaxies of Arp 273
- APOD: 2025 January 6 Á Colliding Spiral Galaxies from Webb and Hubble
- Shell Galaxies in Pisces
- APOD: 2024 July 15 Á The Tadpole Galaxy from Hubble
- Unraveling NGC 3169
- APOD: 2024 March 20 Á The Eyes in Markarians Galaxy Chain