Hubble image archive

Hubble Interacting Galaxy NGC 6670

Date: Jan 1, 2008
Mission: Hubble Space Telescope
Archive ID: hubblesite-images-2008-16-2295-image

By Kakha Giorgashvili January 1, 2008

NGC 6670 is a gorgeous pair of overlapping edge-on galaxies resembling a leaping dolphin. Scientists believe that NGC 6670 has already experienced at least one close encounter and is now in the early stages of a second. The nuclei of the two galaxies are approximately 50,000 light-years apart. NGC 6670 glows in the infrared with more than a hundred billion times the luminosity of our Sun and is thought to be entering a starburst phase. The pair is located some 400 million light-years away from Earth.

This image is part of a large collection of 59 images of merging galaxies taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released on the occasion of its 18th anniversary on 24th April 2008.

Credits

NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration, and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)

Image Details

About The Object
Object Name	NGC 6670 , NGC 6670A/B, VII Zw 812
Object Description	Interacting Galaxies
R.A. Position	18h 33m 37.37s
Dec. Position	59° 53' 21.19"
Constellation	Pavo
Distance	400 million light-years (100 million parsecs)
About The Data
Data Description	HST Proposal: A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)
Instrument	HST>ACS/WFC
Exposure Dates	October 30, 2001, Exposure Time: 38 minutes
Filters	F435W (B) and F814W (I)
About The Image
Color Info	Blue: F435W (B) Green: F435W (B) + F814W (I) Red: F814W (I)