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NGC 4567 and NGC 4568 (nicknamed the Siamese Twins or the Butterfly Galaxies) are a
set of spiral galaxies about 60 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo.
These two galaxies are part of the Virgo cluster of galaxies. Although the two galaxies appear to be almost touching from our viewpoint, there is no sign of tidal filaments or distorted structure such as the type that is normally observed in gravitationally interacting galaxies. Recent studies have indicated that they are in the initial stages of interaction.
The galaxy to the right of the Siamese Twins is NGC 4564, a magnitude 11 elliptical galaxy in the same field of view.
These galaxies are in the process of colliding and merging with each other, as studies of their distributions of neutral and molecular hydrogen show, with the highest star formation activity in the part where they overlap. However the system is still in an early phase of interaction
Date: Mar 23 - Apr 27, 2014
Location: New Ringgold PA
Optics: Hyperion f/8 12.5 inch, FL 2540 mm
Mount: Paramount ME
Camera: Apogee U8300
Guiding: ST-402 on Innovations Foresight On-Axis Guider, SharpLock focusing method
Exposure: LRGB: L:24x10min R:21x8 min, G:11x6 min, B:24x10 min for a total of 11.9 hrs.
Processing: Image acquisition using CCD Autopilot. Initial processing was done using Maxim DL with subsequent processing with Photoshop.
These two galaxies are part of the Virgo cluster of galaxies. Although the two galaxies appear to be almost touching from our viewpoint, there is no sign of tidal filaments or distorted structure such as the type that is normally observed in gravitationally interacting galaxies. Recent studies have indicated that they are in the initial stages of interaction.
The galaxy to the right of the Siamese Twins is NGC 4564, a magnitude 11 elliptical galaxy in the same field of view.
These galaxies are in the process of colliding and merging with each other, as studies of their distributions of neutral and molecular hydrogen show, with the highest star formation activity in the part where they overlap. However the system is still in an early phase of interaction
Date: Mar 23 - Apr 27, 2014
Location: New Ringgold PA
Optics: Hyperion f/8 12.5 inch, FL 2540 mm
Mount: Paramount ME
Camera: Apogee U8300
Guiding: ST-402 on Innovations Foresight On-Axis Guider, SharpLock focusing method
Exposure: LRGB: L:24x10min R:21x8 min, G:11x6 min, B:24x10 min for a total of 11.9 hrs.
Processing: Image acquisition using CCD Autopilot. Initial processing was done using Maxim DL with subsequent processing with Photoshop.
Blue Mountain Vista Observatory New RInggold PA
NGC 4567/4568