On the verge
NGC 4485 has been involved in a dramatic gravitational interplay with its larger galactic neighbour NGC 4490 — out of frame to the bottom right in this image. This ruined the original, ordered spiral structure of the galaxy and transformed it into an irregular one.
The interaction also created a stream of material about 25 000 light-years long, connecting the two galaxies. The stream, visible to the right of the galaxy is made up of bright knots and huge pockets of gassy regions, as well as enormous regions of star formation in which young, massive, blue stars are born.
Below NGC 4485 one can see a bright, orange background galaxy: CXOU J123033.6+414057. This galaxy is the source of X-ray radiation studied by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. It’s distance from Earth is about 850 million light-years.
Credit:ESA/Hubble, NASA
Acknowledgement: T. Roberts (Durham University), D. Calzetti (University of Massachusetts) and the LEGUS Team, R. Tully (University of Hawaii) and R. Chandar (University of Toledo).
About the Image
| Id: | heic1910a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 16 May 2019, 16:00 |
| Related releases: | heic1910 |
| Size: | 3213 x 2836 px |
About the Object
| Name: | NGC 4485 |
| Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Irregular |
| Distance: | 30 million light years |
| Constellation: | Canes Venatici |
| Category: | Galaxies |
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 12 30 31.46 |
| Position (Dec): | 41° 41' 43.40" |
| Field of view: | 2.12 x 1.87 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 43.6° left of vertical |
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical U | 336 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3 |
| Optical UV | 275 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3 |
| Optical B | 435 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
| Optical V | 606 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
| Optical H-alpha + N III | 657 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3 |
| Optical I | 814 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3 |