Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Canes Venatici (CVn)  ·  Contains:  HD110535  ·  HD110744  ·  HD110871  ·  NGC 4627  ·  NGC 4631  ·  NGC 4656  ·  NGC 4657  ·  Whale Galaxy
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Whale & Hockey Stick Galaxies, Hunter Outten
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Whale & Hockey Stick Galaxies

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
Whale & Hockey Stick Galaxies, Hunter Outten
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Whale & Hockey Stick Galaxies

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Description

The Whale and the Hockeystick are two galaxies are found in the constellation Canes Venatici.NGC 4631 is the larger and brighter of the two. Located about 30 Million Light years from Earth, this galaxy has a wedge-shaped form that resembles a whale, thus its name. NGC 4631 has a nearby dwarf elliptical galaxy, NGC 4627, as a companion. This is a rare example of a double galaxy and as such, has found its way into the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies.NGC 4656, the Hockey Stick - also known as the Crowbar Galaxy, is a highly warped barred spiral galaxy. Its distinctive shape is due to a *recent* gravitational interaction with NGC 4631. The "hook" of the galaxy is also listed as its own object, NGC 4657. Beyond the hook is a fuzzy patch which may be a dwarf elliptical galaxy that is merging with NGC 4656.

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Whale & Hockey Stick Galaxies, Hunter Outten