The Fiddlehead Galaxy
American astronomer Halton Arp compiled a list called the “Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies” first published in 1966. Today, astronomers recognize Arp's atlas as an excellent compilation of interacting and merging galaxies.
The Fiddlehead Galaxy, catalogued ARP 78, is a prime example of one galaxy having significant impact on another, the smaller NGC 770 the prime culprit in this case. 770 has stripped most of the interstellar dust and gas from one side of the Fiddlehead and sparked a flurry of star formation in the blue-colored spiral arm. The interaction has resulted in a high concentration of young, hot, massive and short-lived stars. The two galaxies, 106 million light years away, are in the Zodiac constellation Aries (the ram of golden fleece fame).
I stacked 65 four minute exposures shot over two nights to make this picture, using the QHY color Minicam8 attached to the Explore Scientific 127 triplet telescope.
The Fiddlehead Galaxy
American astronomer Halton Arp compiled a list called the “Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies” first published in 1966. Today, astronomers recognize Arp's atlas as an excellent compilation of interacting and merging galaxies.
The Fiddlehead Galaxy, catalogued ARP 78, is a prime example of one galaxy having significant impact on another, the smaller NGC 770 the prime culprit in this case. 770 has stripped most of the interstellar dust and gas from one side of the Fiddlehead and sparked a flurry of star formation in the blue-colored spiral arm. The interaction has resulted in a high concentration of young, hot, massive and short-lived stars. The two galaxies, 106 million light years away, are in the Zodiac constellation Aries (the ram of golden fleece fame).
I stacked 65 four minute exposures shot over two nights to make this picture, using the QHY color Minicam8 attached to the Explore Scientific 127 triplet telescope.