The Ringtail Galaxy

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Common Name: The Ringtail Galaxy Other Names: The Antennae Galaxy, NGC 4038 & NGC 4039 RA: 12 01 53.7 Dec -18 52 35.5 Constellation: Corvus Distance: 60 million light years Magnitude: 10.5 Notes: This object is a collision between 2 galaxies, NGC 4038 and NGC 4039. The bright areas are thought to be where Nuetron stars or black holes are stripping gas off nearby stars. The antennae gets its name from the very faint wisps to the left of the galaxy shown above. These are the result of the galaxy collision where gas has been compressed and hurtled out into intergalactic space. They were initially discovered in 1785 by William Herschal but was catalogued as a planetary nebula. His son John later catalogued them as separate nebula. Telescope: Meade LX200GPS 14" Camera: SBig ST-8 Filters: C Exposure: 60 x 20 sec Date: 19 June 2006 Where: Tenby Observatory, Coonabarabran Lat: 31 16 35.05 S, Long 149 11 33.99 E, Elevation 547metres

Telescope: Planewave 20" Camera: SBig ST-8 Filters: clear Exposure: 36 x 10 minutes Date: 23/3/12 Where: Warrumbungle Observatory, Coonabarabran Lat: 31 16 35.05 S, Long 149 11 33.99 E, Elevation 547metres