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Antennae Galaxies
Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 4038 (top) and NGC 4039 (bottom)
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Corvus
Right ascension	12 01 53.0 / 12 01 53.6
Declination	−18° 52′ 10″ / −18° 53′ 11″
Redshift	1642 ± 12 / 1641 ± 9 km/s
Distance	45 Mly / 65 Mly
Apparent magnitude (V)	11.2 / 11.1
Characteristics
Type	SB(s)m pec / SA(s)m pec
Size	500,000 ly (150 kpc)
Apparent size (V)	5′.2 × 3′.1 / 3′.1 × 1′.6
Notable features	Interacting galaxies
Other designations
Ringtail Galaxy, NGC 4038 / 4039, PGC 37967 / 37969, Arp 244, Caldwell 60/61, UGCA 264/265

The Antennae Galaxies, also known as NGC 4038/NGC 4039, are a pair of interacting galaxies in the constellation Corvus. They are currently going through a starburst phase, in which the collision of clouds of gas and dust, with entangled magnetic fields, causes rapid star formation. They were discovered by William Herschel in 1785.

General information

The Antennae Galaxies are undergoing a galactic collision. Located in the NGC 4038 group with five other galaxies, these two galaxies are known as the Antennae Galaxies because the two long tails of stars, gas and dust ejected from the galaxies as a result of the collision resemble an insect's antennae. The nuclei of the two galaxies are joining to become one giant galaxy. 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 the Andromeda Galaxy.

Five supernovae have been discovered in NGC 4038: SN 1921A, SN 1974E, SN 2004GT, SN 2007sr and SN 2013dk.

A recent study finds that these interacting galaxies are less remote from the Milky Way than previously thought—at 45 million light-years instead of 65 million light-years.

They are located 0.25° north of 31 Crateris and 3.25° southwest of Gamma Corvi.

The Antennae galaxies also contain a relatively young collection of massive globular clusters that were possibly formed as a result of the collision between the two galaxies. The young age of these clusters is in contrast to the average age of most known globular clusters, around 12 billion years old, with the formation of the globulars likely originating from shockwaves, generated by the collision of the galaxies, compressing large, massive molecular clouds. The densest regions of the collapsing and compressing clouds are believed to be the birthplace of the clusters.

Timeline

About 1.2 billion years ago, the Antennae were two separate galaxies. NGC 4038 was a barred spiral galaxy and NGC 4039 was a spiral galaxy. Before the galaxies collided, NGC 4039 was larger than NGC 4038. 900 million years ago, the Antennae began to approach one another, looking similar to NGC 2207 and IC 2163. 600 million years ago, the Antennae passed through each other, looking like the Mice Galaxies. 300 million years ago, the Antennae's stars began to be released from both galaxies. Today the two streamers of ejected stars extend far beyond the original galaxies, resulting in the antennae shape.

Within 400 million years, the Antennae's nuclei will collide and become a single core with stars, gas, and dust around it. Observations and simulations of colliding galaxies suggest that the Antennae Galaxies will eventually form an elliptical galaxy.

X-ray source

Areas containing large amounts of neon, magnesium, and silicon were found when the Chandra X-ray Observatory analyzed the Antennae Galaxies. These elements are necessary in order for planets that may contain life (as we know it) to form. The clouds imaged contain 16 times as much magnesium and 24 times as much silicon as the Sun.

Image gallery

• ESO's VLT observes the Antennae Galaxies.
• Antennae Galaxies composite of ALMA and Hubble observations
• NGC 4038, the Antennae Galaxies. LRGBHa image by W4SM with 17" PlaneWave CDK

See also

• Whirlpool Galaxy
• List of largest galaxies

References

1. R. W. Sinnott, ed. (1988). The Complete New General Catalogue and Index Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters by J. L. E. Dreyer. Sky Publishing Corporation and Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-933346-51-2.
2. ^ "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 4038 / 4039. Retrieved 2006-12-07.
3. Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive (28 April 2017). "Exploring the Antennae". Retrieved 2018-05-01.
4. "Corvus". Universe Today. Retrieved 2006-12-07.
5. "List of Supernovae". IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. Retrieved 2015-08-22.
6. "The Antennae Galaxies Found To Be Closer To Us". Space Daily. 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
7. O'Meara, Stephen James (2002). The Caldwell Objects. Cambridge University Press. pp. 240–43. ISBN 978-0-521-82796-6.
8. Van Den Bergh, Sidney (2001). "van den Bergh, How Did Globular Clusters Form?". The Astrophysical Journal. 559 (2): L113–L114. arXiv:astro-ph/0108298. Bibcode:2001ApJ...559L.113V. doi:10.1086/323754.
9. J. E. Barnes; L. Hernquist (1992). "Dynamics of interacting galaxies". Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics. 30 (1): 705–742. Bibcode:1992ARA&A..30..705B. doi:10.1146/annurev.aa.30.090192.003421.

Notes

1. The quoted size is based on an assumed distance around 60 million ly although a more recent study gives a less remote distance of 45 million ly, giving consequently smaller values for the size.

External links

• Astronomy Picture of the Day: The Antennae Galaxies (10/22/1997)
• Astronomy Picture of the Day: The Antennae (05/07/2010)
• Astronomy Picture of the Day: The Antennae (04/29/2011)
• Astronomy Picture of the Day: The Antennae (02/12/2015)
• The Register: Galactic prang fingered in star formation mystery
• ESA/Hubble News Release
• ESA/Hubble images of Antennae Galaxies
• Animations of galactic collision producing antennae structures
• Antennae Galaxies on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images
• Antennae Galaxies at Constellation Guide

v t e Constellation of Corvus
List of stars in Corvus Corvus in Chinese astronomy
Stars	Bayer α (Alchiba) β (Kraz) γ (Gienah) δ (Algorab) ε (Minkar) ζ η Flamsteed 3 6 Variable R W RV SX TT TU TV TY (31 Crt) VV HR 4699 HD 103774 104067 111031 Other EC 11507-2253 Ross 695 DENIS-P J1228.2−1547 LHS 2520 Stargate VHS J1256–1257
Exoplanets HD 104067 b
Nebulae NGC 4361
Galaxies	NGC 4027 Other Antennae Galaxies (NGC 4038/4039) * Corvus A Dwarf Galaxy
Galaxy clusters NGC 4038 Group
Astronomical events SN 2004gt SN 2007sr
Category

• Barred spiral galaxies
• Unbarred spiral galaxies
• Peculiar galaxies
• Interacting galaxies
• NGC 4038 Group
• Corvus (constellation)
• NGC objects
• Principal Galaxies Catalogue objects
• Arp objects
• Caldwell objects
• Astronomical objects discovered in 1785
• UGCA objects