Wide-field view of the Meathook Galaxy
This picture of the Meathook Galaxy (NGC 2442) was taken by the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at La Silla, Chile. It shows a much broader view than the Hubble image, although less detailed. This view includes the whole galaxy and the surrounding sky, and clearly shows the asymmetric spiral arms. The longer of the two arms has intense star formation, which is visible here as a pink glow: this is due to the radiation of young stars ionising the gas they form from. The asymmetric shape and star formation are both thought to be caused by tidal disruptions from a near-miss with another galaxy at some point in its history
Credit:ESO
About the Image
Id: | heic1108b |
Type: | Observation |
Release date: | 4 May 2011, 12:00 |
Related releases: | heic1108 |
Size: | 6756 x 5687 px |
About the Object
Name: | NGC 2442 |
Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral |
Distance: | 55 million light years |
Constellation: | Volans |
Category: | Galaxies |
Image Formats
Wallpapers
Coordinates
Position (RA): | 7 36 7.66 |
Position (Dec): | -69° 32' 29.51" |
Field of view: | 26.80 x 22.56 arcminutes |
Orientation: | North is 180.0° left of vertical |
Colours & filters
Band | Telescope |
---|---|
Optical B |
MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
WFI |
Optical Pseudogreen |
MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
WFI |
Infrared V |
MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
WFI |
Optical H-alpha |
MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
WFI |