Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Draco (Dra)  ·  Contains:  NGC 5976  ·  NGC 5981  ·  NGC 5982  ·  NGC 5985
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NGC 5982 / 5981 / 5985 - 2019, Gary Imm
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NGC 5982 / 5981 / 5985 - 2019

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
NGC 5982 / 5981 / 5985 - 2019, Gary Imm
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NGC 5982 / 5981 / 5985 - 2019

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Description

This image captures three beautiful galaxies in the northern constellation of Draco. From top to bottom are the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 5981, the elliptical galaxy NGC 5982, and the face-on spiral galaxy NGC 5985.

The image appears to show three similarly sized galaxies in close proximity to each other, but that is not the case. The top galaxy is much smaller (80,000 light years in diameter) and closer (90 million light years away). The middle and bottom galaxies are both huge, at twice the diameter of our Milky Way (about 200,000 light years in diameter), and are further away at 140 million light years. The bottom two galaxies could be interacting with each other because of their proximity, but that is not apparent to me in their galaxy structures.

I love the structure and detail of the face-on galaxy. Numerous bluish star clusters are seen in the wonderfully detailed arms which surround its barred core.

Many distant background galaxies are seen throughout the image, including NGC 5976 at the top of the frame.

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NGC 5982 / 5981 / 5985 - 2019, Gary Imm

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