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Revision as of 00:40, 14 February 2006
The Antennae Galaxies (Antennae for short), are a pair of galaxies (NGC 4038 + NGC 4039) undergoing a violent collision some 68 million ly away in the constellation Corvus. The galaxies are known as the 'Antennae' because the two long tails of stars, gas, and dust thrown out of the galaxies as a result of the collision resemble the antennae of an insect. The nuclei of the two galaxies are joining to become one supergalaxy. Most galaxies probably undergo at least one significant collision in their lifetimes. This is likely the future of our Milky Way when it collides with Andromeda. In 2004, a supernova (SN 2004gt) was obsered in NGC 4038.
Antennae's past
About 1.2 billion years ago, the Antennae were two seperate galaxies. NGC 4038 was a spiral galaxy and NGC 4039 was a barred spiral galaxy, even though they are still spiral and barred spiral. It may look like NGC 4038 is larger then NGC 4039, but befor they collieded, NGC 4039 was larger then NGC 4038. 900 million years ago, the Antennae started to get close to each other, looking sillilar to NGC 2207 and IC 2163. 600 million years ago, the Antennae already whent through each other, looking like the Mice Galaxies. 300 million years ago, the Antennae's stars began starting to be flung out of both galaxies. Today the two streamers of ejected stars extend far beyond the original galaxies, making the antennae shape.
Antennae's future
Within 400 million years, the Antennae's nuclei will colide and become a single core with stars, gas, and dust around it. With in a billion years the galaxy shall look like a normal galaxy, the 'Antenna Galaxy'. It's not 100% sure whether it'll be a spiral or a barred spiral galaxy. The brand new galaxy will go on for billions of years, maybe with more collisions in it's future.
NGC 4038 (top) and NGC 4039 (bottom)
External links
- Astronomy Picture of the Day, October 22, 1997: The Antennae Galaxies
- Galactic prang fingered in star formation mystery (The Register)