SUNSET: 
0
Photographer:
Rod Pommier
Location of Photo:
Pommier Observatory, Portland, OR, USA
Date/Time of photo:
2024-06-05 through 2024-06-09
Equipment:
PlaneWave CDK17 on L500 mount, SBIG STL 11000 CCD camera with Baader Planetarium H-alpha, L, R, G, and B filters
Description:
This image shows two interacting galaxies lying 40-50 million light-years away in Canes Ventatici. They are speeding away from each other, separated by 24,000 light-years. Both galaxies are thought to have originally been spirals, now distorted by the tidal forces of the interaction. The larger galaxy, NGC 4490, also known as the Cocoon Galaxy and the smaller galaxy is NGC 4485. The interaction has triggered many regions of new star formation, visible as bright red emission nebulae. Exposures: Ha:L:R:G:B = 60:105:60:60:60 5 hours, 45 minutes total exposure.
