Astronomers using ESO’s Very Large Telescope have captured a striking view of two interacting galaxies NGC 470 and NGC 474.
This image, taken by the FOcal Reducer/low dispersion Spectrograph 2 (FORS2) on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, shows the interacting galaxy pair NGC 470-NGC 474. Image credit: ESO.
This pair of interacting galaxies lies approximately 100 million light-years away in the constellation of Pisces.
It consists of the elliptical galaxy NGC 474 and the spiral galaxy NGC 470.
These galaxies were discovered by the German-born British astronomer Wilhelm Herschel in 1784.
“NGC 474 is a stunning example of a shell elliptical galaxy,” the ESO astronomers said.
“Enormous wispy tails flick around the galaxy’s main body, while the inner structure is formed of a series of nested concentric rings.”
“In fact, the full extent of the galaxy cannot even be contained in this field of view.”
“The tendril-like outer regions of NGC 474 billow and wisp away like smoke, extending outwards for large distances from the galaxy’s main bulk.”
Astronomers don’t know exactly why some galaxies take on this kind of appearance, but they believe it concerns gravity.
“It is possible that the spiral galaxy NGC 470 has been tugging on its larger friend for billions of years, causing density waves to reshape its structure,” the researchers said.
