NGC 6769-70-71 Galaxies
NGC 6769-70-71 in Pavo
is a gravitationally interacting triplet of barred spiral galaxies, located about 190 million light years away from us. The two upper galaxies, NGC 6769 and NGC 6770 are of equal brightness and size, while NGC 6771 (below) is about half as bright and slightly smaller. Stars and gas that have been stripped off of NGC 6769 and NGC 6770 are starting to form a common envelope around them. There is also a weak hint of a tenuous bridge between NGC 6769 and NGC 6771. Many thanks go out to my collaborator and friend, Mike Selby, who acquired and calibrated this fine data.
LARGE
is a gravitationally interacting triplet of barred spiral galaxies, located about 190 million light years away from us. The two upper galaxies, NGC 6769 and NGC 6770 are of equal brightness and size, while NGC 6771 (below) is about half as bright and slightly smaller. Stars and gas that have been stripped off of NGC 6769 and NGC 6770 are starting to form a common envelope around them. There is also a weak hint of a tenuous bridge between NGC 6769 and NGC 6771. Many thanks go out to my collaborator and friend, Mike Selby, who acquired and calibrated this fine data.
LARGE