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Credit & Copyright: SSRO-South
(D.Goldman, J.Harvey, R.Gilbert, D.Verschatse) -
PROMPT (D.Reichart)
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 an
ominous
hook-shaped appearance.
This striking color image also shows 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 northern (top) spiral arm.
The distorted structure is likely the result of a
close encounter
with a smaller galaxy located just outside this telescopic
field of view.
The picture spans
about 1/6 of a degree, or 150,000 light years at
the estimated distance
of NGC 2442.
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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: barred spiral galaxy - interacting galaxies
Publications with words: barred spiral galaxy - interacting galaxies
See also: