Post by glactus on May 5, 2011 18:45:22 GMT
NGC 2442 / 2443 is an intermediate spiral galaxy about 50 million light-years away in the constellation of Volans and is easily recognized for its asymmetric spiral arms. Associated with this galaxy is HIPASS J0731-69, a cloud of gas devoid of any stars. It is likely that the cloud was torn loose from NGC 2442 by a companion. Apparent magnitude is 11.2
NGC 2442
The Meathook Galaxy, or NGC 2442, has a dramatically lopsided shape. One spiral arm is tightly folded in on itself and host to a recent supernova, while the other, dotted with recent star formation, extends far out from the nucleus. This color comes from hydrogen gas in star-forming regions: as the powerful radiation of new-born stars excites the gas in the clouds they formed from, it glows a bright shade of red.
The galaxy's lopsided appearance is thought to be due to gravitational interactions with another galaxy at some point in its history - though astronomers have not so far been able to positively identify the culprit.
NGC 2442
Credits: This is a NASA image
NGC 2442
The Meathook Galaxy, or NGC 2442, has a dramatically lopsided shape. One spiral arm is tightly folded in on itself and host to a recent supernova, while the other, dotted with recent star formation, extends far out from the nucleus. This color comes from hydrogen gas in star-forming regions: as the powerful radiation of new-born stars excites the gas in the clouds they formed from, it glows a bright shade of red.
The galaxy's lopsided appearance is thought to be due to gravitational interactions with another galaxy at some point in its history - though astronomers have not so far been able to positively identify the culprit.
NGC 2442
Credits: This is a NASA image