Hubble
Interacting Galaxy IRAS 18090
Interacting Galaxies
RA 18h 11m 37.5s Dec 01° 31' 40.59"
Ophiuchus
550 million light-years (200 million parsecs)
HST>ACS/WFC
March 29, 2002
33 minutes
F435W (B) and F814W (I)
NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration, and A. Evans (U of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)
April 24, 2008
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ABOUT
THIS IMAGE:
This system consists of two interacting spiral galaxies. The galaxy to the left displays a dim plume of luminosity that extends to the right in the direction of the second spiral. Both galaxies are partly obscured by dust lanes. The galaxy at center is adorned with blue knots of stars. IRAS 18090+0130 is located in the constellation of Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder, some 400 million light-years away from Earth.
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 April 24, 2008.