Hubble image archive
Hubble Interacting Galaxy ESO 286-19
ESO 286-19 is a peculiar galaxy that consists of what were originally two disk galaxies that are now in the midst of an ongoing collision. It has undergone a burst of star formation that ended about eight million years ago. ESO 286-19 has a long tail to the right of the main body...
- Date
- Jan 1, 2008
- Mission
- Hubble Space Telescope
- Archive ID
- hubblesite-images-2008-16-2294-image
ESO 286-19 is a peculiar galaxy that consists of what were originally two disk galaxies that are now in the midst of an ongoing collision. It has undergone a burst of star formation that ended about eight million years ago. ESO 286-19 has a long tail to the right of the main body, and a shorter tail curving to the left. The presence of the tails is a unique signature of the merger process: gas and stars were stripped out by rippling gravitational pulls as the galaxies collided and the outer regions of the parent galaxies were torn off. These tidal tails can persist long after the galaxies have finally merged. ESO 286-19 is located 600 million light-years away from Earth and is an exceptionally luminous source of infrared radiation.
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 | ESO 286-19, ESO 286-IG019, AM 2055-425 |
| Object Description | Interacting Galaxies |
| R.A. Position | 20h 58m 27.01s |
| Dec. Position | -42° 38' 58.2" |
| Constellation | Microscopium |
| Distance | 550 million light-years (150 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 | March 27, 2002, Exposure Time: 35 minutes |
| Filters | F435W (B) and F814W (I) |
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Image and source material are credited to the official mission archive linked below.
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