Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Pisces (Psc)  ·  Contains:  NGC 520
NGC 520, Eddie Bagwell
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NGC 520

NGC 520, Eddie Bagwell
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NGC 520

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Description

NGC 520
Arp 157

Here we have a pair of colliding spiral galaxies about 105 million light-years away in the Pisces Constellation. They were discovered by William Herschel in 1784. Halton Arp called this the second-brightest disturbed galaxy in the sky.

Simulations indicate this object consists of two galactic disks that began interacting about 300 million years ago. The system is still in an early stage of its merger, showing two separate velocity systems in the spectra, and two small tails. Two galactic nuclei have been detected, and one is an H II nucleus.

The main galactic component is being viewed edge-on, making it fainter in the optical band. The secondary component is brighter but less massive than the main and is located to the east. A dark lane of dust separates the two. There are two dwarf objects located in the vicinity of this merging pair, and one of them is located in the eastern tidal tail – it may be the result of the interaction. Lastly, a large galactic wind is being driven by the starburst activity.

Thanks, Eddie

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