VV 705
Markarian 848 consists of two galaxies that seem to be embracing each other. Two long, highly curved arms of gas and stars emerge from a central region with two cores. One arm, curving clockwise, stretches to the top of the image where it makes a U-turn and interlocks with the other arm that curves up counter-clockwise from below. The two cores are 16,000 light-years apart. The pair is thought to be midway through a merger. Markarian 848 is located in the constellation of Boötes, the Bear Watcher, and is approximately 550 million light-years away from Earth.
This image is part of a large collection of 59 images of merging galaxies taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released on the occasion of its 18th anniversary on 24th April 2008.
Credit:NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)
About the Image
Id: | heic0810bw |
Type: | Observation |
Release date: | 24 April 2008, 15:00 |
Related releases: | heic0810 |
Size: | 2788 x 2788 px |
About the Object
Name: | Markarian 848, VV 705 |
Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Interacting |
Distance: | 550 million light years |
Constellation: | Bootes |
Category: | Anniversary Galaxies |
Coordinates
Position (RA): | 15 18 6.32 |
Position (Dec): | 42° 44' 26.50" |
Field of view: | 2.32 x 2.32 arcminutes |
Orientation: | North is 0.2° left of vertical |
Colours & filters
Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
---|---|---|
Optical B | 435 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
Optical Pseudogreen (B+I) |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS | |
Infrared I | 814 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |