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> The Hydra cluster of galaxies (Abell 1060)
The Hydra cluster of galaxies (Abell 1060)
author: Anglo-Australian Observatory/David Malin Images/Novapix
reference: a-amg01-00070
Image Size 300 DPI: 34 * 42 cm
This splendid cluster of galaxies in Hydra is framed by two nearby, cool stars in our own Milky Way. The brightest is about 5th magnitude, visible to the unaided eye only under a dark sky; the second brightest is below naked-eye visibility. In contrast the galaxies appear featureless in all but the largest telescopes. The bluish, elongated galaxy is an edge-on spiral, NGC 3312. It has been distorted by interactions with its neighbours. They in turn have been affected, and the brightest of the two adjacent yellow elliptical galaxies (NGC 3311) has an assymetrical envelope, perhaps as a result of this encounter. It's hard to tell who is jostling who in a crowded group of galaxies such as this.
Among the most interesting galaxies in the group are two faint spirals (NGC 3314) that are by chance aligned along the line of sight. They are seen a little to the left of the fainter star and directly below the brighter.
Among the most interesting galaxies in the group are two faint spirals (NGC 3314) that are by chance aligned along the line of sight. They are seen a little to the left of the fainter star and directly below the brighter.
Keywords for this photo:
AAO - ABELL 1060 - ASTRONOMY - ELLIPTICAL GALAXY - GALAXY - GALAXY CLUSTER - HYDRA - NGC 3311 - NGC 3312 - NGC 3314 - SIDING SPRING - SPIRAL GALAXY - STAR -
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