‘Taffy Galaxies’ Collide, Leave Behind Bridge of Star-Forming Material
noirlab_noirlab2308a March 29th, 2023
Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA Image Processing: M. Rodriguez (NSF’s NOIRLab), T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF’s NOIRLab), J. Miller (Gemini Observatory/NSF’s NOIRLab), M. Zamani (NSF’s NOIRLab) & D. de Martin (NSF’s NOIRLab) Acknowledgment: PI: A. S. Castelli (Universidad Nacional de la Plata)
The Gemini North telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, operated by NSF’s NOIRLab, captured this dazzling image of the so-called Taffy Galaxies — UGC 12914 and UGC 12915. Their twisted appearance is the result of a head-on collision that occurred about 25 million years prior to their appearance in this image. A bridge of highly turbulent gas devoid of significant star formation spans the gap between the two galaxies.
Provider: NOIRLab
Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noirlab2308a/
Curator: NSF's NOIRLab, Tucson, AZ, USA
Image Use Policy: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
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Image Details
Position Details
Color Mapping
- ID
- noirlab2308a
- Subject Category
- Subject Name
- UGC 12914, UGC 12915
- Credits
- International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA Image Processing: M. Rodriguez (NSF’s NOIRLab), T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF’s NOIRLab), J. Miller (Gemini Observatory/NSF’s NOIRLab), M. Zamani (NSF’s NOIRLab) & D. de Martin (NSF’s NOIRLab) Acknowledgment: PI: A. S. Castelli (Universidad Nacional de la Plata)
- Release Date
- 2023-03-29T13:00:00
- Lightyears
- Redshift
- Reference Url
- https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noirlab2308a/
- Type
- Observation
- Image Quality
- Distance Notes
- Facility
- Gemini North, Gemini North, Gemini North, Gemini North
- Instrument
- GMOS-N, GMOS-N, GMOS-N, GMOS-N
- Color Assignment
- Red, Blue, Green, Red
- Band
- Optical, Optical, Optical, Optical
- Bandpass
- H-alpha, g, r, i
- Central Wavelength
- 656, 475, 630, 780
- Start Time
- Integration Time
- Dataset ID
- None, None, None, None
- Notes
- Coordinate Frame
- ICRS
- Equinox
- J2000
- Reference Value
- 0.414844418, 23.4855174916
- Reference Dimension
- 1706.0, 1570.0
- Reference Pixel
- 853.5, 784.5
- Scale
- -4.49065624815e-05, 4.48807199955e-05
- Rotation
- -90.029448211086
- Coordinate System Projection:
- TAN
- Quality
- Full
- FITS Header
- Notes
- Creator (Curator)
- NSF's NOIRLab
- URL
- https://noirlab.edu
- Name
- Telephone
- Address
- 950 North Cherry Ave.
- City
- Tucson
- State/Province
- AZ
- Postal Code
- 85719
- Country
- USA
- Rights
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
- Publisher
- NSF's NOIRLab
- Publisher ID
- noirlab
- Resource ID
- noirlab2308a
- Resource URL
- http://noirlab.edu/public/media/archives/images/original/noirlab2308a.tif
- Related Resources
- Metadata Date
- 2023-02-08T20:18:38+01:00
- Metadata Version
- 1.1
Detailed color mapping information coming soon...
