Antennae Galaxies
Antennae Galaxies NGC4038
This galaxy is a remarkable pair of interacting galaxies, NGC4038 and NGC4039. A major accident is happening, 65milion light away, as the galaxies NGC4038 and NGC4039 collide with each other. The galaxies are too faint to see with small telescopes, but photographs reveal their structure. Stretching away from them on eigther side are two antenna-like arcs, consisting of plumes of gas and millions of stars that have been flung into intergalactic space as a result of this collision.
This picture was taken with my Takahashi Epsilon250 and ST2000 camera in Japan.
Imaging information
Optics: Takahashi Epsilon250
Mount: Pentax MS-5 Mount
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM, Astronomik LRGB filters
Exposure: Luminance=80minutes(10minx8frames), R=G=B=20minutes(10minx2frames)
Software: Stellaimage6, PhotoshopCS
Location: Okayama Prefecture, Japan, 2008