The Antennae Galaxies (also known as NGC 4038/NGC 4039 or Caldwell 60/Caldwell 61) are a pair of interacting galaxies in the constellationCorvus. 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.[4]
Visible light Hubble image (blue) showing newly formed young stars overlaid with a radio image from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array showing the clouds of dense cold gas from which new stars form (red, pink and yellow)Streams of stars and dust, resembling insect antennae, being ejected from both galaxies. The name Antennae Galaxies comes from this resemblance.
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'santennae.
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. This collision and merger sequence (the Toomre sequence) for galaxy evolution was developed in part by successfully modeling the Antennae Galaxies' "antennae" in particular.
Five supernovae have been discovered in NGC 4038: SN 1921A, SN 1974E, SN 2004GT, SN 2007sr and SN 2013dk.[5]
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.[6]
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.[8] The young age of these clusters is in contrast to the average age of most known globular clusters (which are 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.
About 1.2 billion years ago, the Antennae were two separate galaxies.[9] NGC 4038 was a barred spiral galaxy and NGC 4039 was a spiral galaxy. 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.[10]
Within 400 million years, the Antennae's nuclei will collide and become a single core with stars, gas, and dust around it.[11] Observations and simulations of colliding galaxies (e.g., by Alar Toomre) suggest that the Antennae Galaxies will eventually form an elliptical galaxy.[9][page needed]
X-ray source
Areas containing large amounts of neon (Ne), magnesium (Mg), and silicon (Si) were found when the Chandra X-ray Observatory analyzed the Antennae Galaxies. Heavy elements such as these 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.
^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. ISBN978-0-933346-51-2.
^ abcdefghij"NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 4038 / 4039. Retrieved 2006-12-07.
^Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive (28 April 2017). "Exploring the Antennae". Retrieved 2018-05-01.
^"List of Supernovae". IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. Retrieved 2015-08-22.
^"The Antennae Galaxies Found To Be Closer To Us". Space Daily. 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
^O'Meara, Stephen James (2002). The Caldwell Objects. Cambridge University Press. pp. 240–43. ISBN978-0-521-82796-6.
^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. S2CID 44060272.
^ abJ. 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.
^Henderson, Edward (2019-12-18). "Caldwell 60/61". NASA. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
^Wilkins, Alasdair (2010-08-05). "Antennae Galaxies are slowly colliding in beautiful chaos of black holes". Gizmodo. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
Notes
^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
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Antennae Galaxies.
antennae, galaxies, also, known, 4038, 4039, caldwell, caldwell, pair, interacting, galaxies, constellation, corvus, they, currently, going, through, starburst, phase, which, collision, clouds, dust, with, entangled, magnetic, fields, causes, rapid, star, form. The Antennae Galaxies also known as NGC 4038 NGC 4039 or Caldwell 60 Caldwell 61 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 4 Antennae GalaxiesHubble Space Telescope image of NGC 4038 top and NGC 4039 bottom Observation data J2000 epoch ConstellationCorvus 1 Right ascension12h 01m 53 0s 12h 01m 53 6s 2 Declination 18 52 10 18 53 11 2 Redshift1642 12 1641 9 km s 2 Distance45 Mly 65 MlyApparent magnitude V 11 2 11 1 2 CharacteristicsTypeSB s m pec SA s m pec 2 Size500 000 ly 150 kpc 3 a Apparent size V 5 2 3 1 3 1 1 6 2 Notable featuresInteracting galaxiesOther designationsRingtail Galaxy 2 NGC 4038 4039 2 PGC 37967 37969 Arp 244 2 Caldwell 60 61 UGCA 264 265 2 Contents 1 General information 2 Timeline 3 X ray source 4 See also 5 References 6 Notes 7 External linksGeneral information Edit Visible light Hubble image blue showing newly formed young stars overlaid with a radio image from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array showing the clouds of dense cold gas from which new stars form red pink and yellow Streams of stars and dust resembling insect antennae being ejected from both galaxies The name Antennae Galaxies comes from this resemblance 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 This collision and merger sequence the Toomre sequence for galaxy evolution was developed in part by successfully modeling the Antennae Galaxies antennae in particular Five supernovae have been discovered in NGC 4038 SN 1921A SN 1974E SN 2004GT SN 2007sr and SN 2013dk 5 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 6 They are located 0 25 north of 31 Crateris and 3 25 southwest of Gamma Corvi 7 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 8 The young age of these clusters is in contrast to the average age of most known globular clusters which are 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 EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed October 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message About 1 2 billion years ago the Antennae were two separate galaxies 9 NGC 4038 was a barred spiral galaxy and NGC 4039 was a spiral galaxy 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 10 Within 400 million years the Antennae s nuclei will collide and become a single core with stars gas and dust around it 11 Observations and simulations of colliding galaxies e g by Alar Toomre suggest that the Antennae Galaxies will eventually form an elliptical galaxy 9 page needed X ray source EditAreas containing large amounts of neon Ne magnesium Mg and silicon Si were found when the Chandra X ray Observatory analyzed the Antennae Galaxies Heavy elements such as these 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 See also EditWhirlpool Galaxy List of largest galaxiesReferences Edit 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 a b c d e f g h i j NASA IPAC Extragalactic Database Results for NGC 4038 4039 Retrieved 2006 12 07 Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive 28 April 2017 Exploring the Antennae Retrieved 2018 05 01 Corvus Universe Today Retrieved 2006 12 07 List of Supernovae IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Retrieved 2015 08 22 The Antennae Galaxies Found To Be Closer To Us Space Daily 2008 05 12 Retrieved 2008 06 30 O Meara Stephen James 2002 The Caldwell Objects Cambridge University Press pp 240 43 ISBN 978 0 521 82796 6 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 S2CID 44060272 a b J E Barnes L Hernquist 1992 Dynamics of interacting galaxies Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics 30 1 705 742 Bibcode 1992ARA amp A 30 705B doi 10 1146 annurev aa 30 090192 003421 Henderson Edward 2019 12 18 Caldwell 60 61 NASA Retrieved 9 November 2021 Wilkins Alasdair 2010 08 05 Antennae Galaxies are slowly colliding in beautiful chaos of black holes Gizmodo Retrieved 9 November 2021 Notes Edit 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 Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Antennae Galaxies 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 a X Ray Astrophoto Sky Map Articles and images Antennae Galaxies at Constellation Guide Portals Astronomy Stars Outer space Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Antennae Galaxies amp oldid 1164648113, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
