Trio of galaxies mixes it up
The three pictured galaxies - NGC 7173 (middle left), NCG 7174 (middle right) and NGC 7176 (lower right) - are part of the Hickson Compact Group 90, named after astronomer Paul Hickson, who first catalogued these small clusters of galaxies in the 1980s. NGC 7173 and NGC 7176 appear to be smooth, normal elliptical galaxies without much gas and dust. In stark contrast, NGC 7174 is a mangled spiral galaxy, barely clinging to independent existence as it is ripped apart by its close neighbours. The strong tidal interaction surging through the galaxies has dragged a significant number of stars away from their home galaxies. These stars are now spread out, forming a tenuous luminous component in the galaxy group.
Credit:NASA, ESA and R. Sharples (University of Durham, U.K.)
About the Image
| Id: | heic0902a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 3 March 2009, 12:00 |
| Related releases: | heic0902 |
| Size: | 3881 x 3880 px |
About the Object
| Name: | HCG 90, NGC 7173, NGC 7174, NGC 7176 |
| Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Elliptical |
| Distance: | 120 million light years |
| Constellation: | Piscis Austrinus |
| Category: | Galaxies |
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 22 2 5.50 |
| Position (Dec): | -31° 59' 0.17" |
| Field of view: | 3.25 x 3.25 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 105.0° left of vertical |
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical B | 475 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
| Optical Pseudogreen (B+I) |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS | |
| Optical I | 814 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |