C61 · galaxy

Antennae Galaxies

The Antennae Galaxies are a pair of interacting galaxies in the constellation Corvus.

RA12h 01m 53sDec−18° 53' 10"

Image: NASA / GSFC. Source: GSFC via images.nasa.gov.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: C61
All designations: C61 · NGC 4039 · Antennae Galaxies
Object type: Galaxy
Constellation: Corvus
Best viewing: Spring

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 12h 01m 53s
Declination (J2000): −18° 53' 10"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —
Redshift (z): 0.005474

III

Visibility tonight

The science

The Antennae Galaxies are a pair of interacting galaxies in the constellation Corvus. They are currently going through a starburst phase, in which the collision of clouds of gas and dust, with entangled magnetic fields, causes rapid star formation. They were discovered by William Herschel in 1785.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA-4.0