Hubble image archive

Hubble Interacting Galaxy AM 1316-241

Date: Jan 1, 2008
Mission: Hubble Space Telescope
Archive ID: hubblesite-images-2008-16-2305-image

By Kakha Giorgashvili January 1, 2008

AM 1316-241 is made up of two interacting galaxies - a spiral galaxy (on the left of the frame) in front of an elliptical galaxy (on the right of the frame). The starlight from the background galaxy is partially obscured by the bands and filaments of dust associated with the foreground spiral galaxy. The Hubble image unravels the fine detail in the patchy clumps of dust confined to the spiral arms of the spiral galaxy. This dust reddens the light from the background just as the intervening dust in the Earth's atmosphere reddens sunsets here. AM1316-241 is located some 400 million light-years away toward the constellation of Hydra, the Water Snake.

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 W. Keel (University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa)

Image Details

About The Object
Object Name	AM 1316-241, ESO 508-45
Object Description	Interacting Galaxies
R.A. Position	13h 19m 32.89s
Dec. Position	-24° 29' 20.0"
Constellation	Hydra
Distance	350 million light-years (100 million parsecs)
About The Data
Data Description	HST Proposal: W. Keel (University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa)
Instrument	HST>WFPC2
Exposure Dates	July 18, 199,7 Exposure Time: 1.3 hours
Filters	F435W (B) and F814W (I)