Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Vela (Vel)  ·  Contains:  NGC 3256  ·  NGC 3261  ·  NGC 3262  ·  NGC 3263  ·  PGC 30626  ·  PGC 30754  ·  PGC 30785  ·  PGC 3085392  ·  PGC 3085396  ·  PGC 30867  ·  PGC 30873  ·  PGC 30902  ·  PGC 30911  ·  PGC 30966  ·  PGC 3097821  ·  PGC 535340  ·  PGC 537146  ·  PGC 548858  ·  PGC 551241  ·  PGC 552324  ·  PGC 553319  ·  PGC 553694  ·  PGC 87403
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NGC 3256 & Friends, GoldfieldAstro
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NGC 3256 & Friends

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
NGC 3256 & Friends, GoldfieldAstro
Powered byPixInsight

NGC 3256 & Friends

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Description

NGC 3256 is a peculiar galaxy formed from the collision of two separate galaxies in the constellation of Vela. NGC 3256 is located about 100 million light years away and belongs to the Hydra-Centaurus supercluster complex. NGC 3256 provides a nearby template for studying the properties of young star clusters in tidal tails. The system hides a double nucleus and a tangle of dust lanes in the central region. The telltale signs of the collision are two extended luminous tails swirling out from the galaxy. The tails are studded with a particularly high density of star clusters. NGC 3256 is the most luminous galaxy in the infrared spectrum located within z 0.01 from Earth.

This is the only image of these galaxies present on AstroBin and only one of a small handful of images of this target taken by amateurs.

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