Kwychang
NGC 4490
Known as the Cocoon galaxy.
The smaller companion galaxy is NGC 4485. Referred to collectively as ARP 269.
The galaxies passed close to or through one another sometime in the past and, it's almost certain gravity will bring them back together several billion years in the future.
The red/pink areas are prime star forming regions where dense clouds of ionised hydrogen are irradiated by ultraviolet light from the hot, young stars within.
ARP 269 can be found in Canes Venatici some 24 million light years away. The two galaxies having now passed by one another are now approximately 24,000 light years apart.
Boring techie bit:
Skywatcher Quattro 8" Newtonian Reflector steel tube with the f4 aplanatic coma corrector, Skywatcher EQ6 R pro mount, Altair 60mm guide scope, ZWO asi120mm guide camera mini, ZWO asi533mc pro cooled to -20c gain 100, Optolong L'enhance 2" filter, ZWO asiair plus.
180s exposures.
Best 70% of 60 light frames.
Darks, Flats & Bias.
Stacked with DeepSkyStacker and processed in StarTools.
NGC 4490
Known as the Cocoon galaxy.
The smaller companion galaxy is NGC 4485. Referred to collectively as ARP 269.
The galaxies passed close to or through one another sometime in the past and, it's almost certain gravity will bring them back together several billion years in the future.
The red/pink areas are prime star forming regions where dense clouds of ionised hydrogen are irradiated by ultraviolet light from the hot, young stars within.
ARP 269 can be found in Canes Venatici some 24 million light years away. The two galaxies having now passed by one another are now approximately 24,000 light years apart.
Boring techie bit:
Skywatcher Quattro 8" Newtonian Reflector steel tube with the f4 aplanatic coma corrector, Skywatcher EQ6 R pro mount, Altair 60mm guide scope, ZWO asi120mm guide camera mini, ZWO asi533mc pro cooled to -20c gain 100, Optolong L'enhance 2" filter, ZWO asiair plus.
180s exposures.
Best 70% of 60 light frames.
Darks, Flats & Bias.
Stacked with DeepSkyStacker and processed in StarTools.