Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Andromeda (And)  ·  Contains:  M 32  ·  NGC 221
Messier 32 shell structures, Giuseppe Donatiello
Messier 32 shell structures
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Messier 32 shell structures

Messier 32 shell structures, Giuseppe Donatiello
Messier 32 shell structures
Powered byPixInsight

Messier 32 shell structures

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Messier 32 Shells

Credit: Giuseppe Donatiello

A few years ago I clearly highlighted the presence of a large spiral structure around the core of Messier 32 (also visible here), recognizable as a sort of very nuanced inverted S. In 2014, on the other hand, I sensed the presence of very weak shell structures without obtaining a convincing image.

I have reprocessed that data, using new techniques, and it seems to me that there is no longer any doubt about their reality. M32 would be nothing more than the core of an old small spiral galaxy, stripped by the more massive Andromeda.

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Messier 32 shell structures, Giuseppe Donatiello

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