Arp 87
Arp 87 is a stunning pair of interacting galaxies. Stars, gas, and dust flow from the large spiral galaxy, NGC 3808, forming an enveloping arm around its companion. The shapes of both galaxies have been distorted by their gravitational interaction. Arp 87 is located in the constellation of Leo, the Lion, approximately 300 million light-years away from Earth. Arp 87 appears in Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. As also seen in similar interacting galaxies, the corkscrew shape of the tidal material suggests that some stars and gas drawn from the larger galaxy have been caught in the gravitational pull of the smaller one. This image was taken in February 2007 with Hubble's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 detector.
Credit:NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
About the Image
| Id: | heic0717a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 30 October 2007, 14:00 |
| Related releases: | heic0717 |
| Size: | 2302 x 1176 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Arp 87 |
| Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Interacting |
| Distance: | 300 million light years |
| Constellation: | Leo |
| Category: | Galaxies |
Wallpapers
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 11 40 43.79 |
| Position (Dec): | 22° 26' 26.49" |
| Field of view: | 2.31 x 1.18 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 65.1° left of vertical |
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical B | 450 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFPC2 |
| Optical V | 555 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFPC2 |
| Optical H-alpha + Nii | 656 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFPC2 |
| Infrared I | 814 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFPC2 |