‘Taffy Galaxies’ Collide, Leave Behind Bridge of Star-Forming Material

Noirlab_noirlab2308a_1024

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

Image Details Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
UGC 12914 UGC 12915
Noirlab_noirlab2308a_128
 

Position Details Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 0h 1m 39.6s
DEC = 23° 29’ 7.9”
Orientation
North is 90.0° CW
Field of View
4.6 x 4.2 arcminutes
Constellation
Pegasus

Color Mapping Details Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Red Gemini-N (GMOS-N) Optical (H-alpha) 656.0 nm
Blue Gemini-N (GMOS-N) Optical (g) 475.0 nm
Green Gemini-N (GMOS-N) Optical (r) 630.0 nm
Red Gemini-N (GMOS-N) Optical (i) 780.0 nm
Spectrum_base
Red
Blue
Green
Red
Noirlab_noirlab2308a_1280
×
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
Email
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
Metadata Date
2023-02-08T20:18:38+01:00
Metadata Version
1.1
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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There is no distance meta data in this image.

 

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