Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Cetus (Cet)
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Arp 256, Gary Imm
Arp 256, Gary Imm

Arp 256

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Arp 256, Gary Imm
Arp 256, Gary Imm

Arp 256

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Description

This Astrobin Debut Object is a pair of interacting galaxies located 380 million light years away in the constellation of Cetus at a declination of -10 degrees.  In his Arp catalog
Dr. Arp classified this object into the category of Galaxies with Appearance of Fission.  

The top galaxy is MCG-02-01-052.  This magnitude 14 galaxy spans 1 arc-minute in our apparent view, which corresponds to a Milky Way size diameter of 120,000 light years.   The bottom galaxy is  MCG-02-01-051, also magnitude 14.

The two galaxies are connected by a faint star stream bridge.  Both galaxies are grand spirals with strong, slightly deformed arms.  Star plumes emit from each of the arms.  At the bottom end of the top galaxy is a bright star cloud or perhaps a small dwarf galaxy.  The bottom galaxy core is intensely orange.

The small orange galaxy to the right of Arp 256 is LEDA 978951.  No information is available for this galaxy.

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