Eyes Galaxies

Eyes Galaxies
NGC 4435(top) and NGC 4438(bottom) by GALEX (ultraviolet)
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)
Constellation	Virgo
Right ascension	12h 27m 45.6s(J2000)
Declination	+13° 00' 31" (J2000)
Redshift	?
Distance	52 million ly
Type	SB0/SAb
Apparent dimensions (V)	?
Apparent magnitude (V)	+10
Notable features	Interacting
Other designations
NGC 4435-8, Arp 120
See also: Galaxy, List of galaxies

The Eyes Galaxies (NGC 4435-NGC 4438, also known as Arp 120) are a pair of galaxies about 52 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. NGC 4438 is the most curious interacting galaxy in the Virgo Cluster, due to the uncertainty surrounding the energy mechanism that heats the nuclear source; this energy mechanism may be a starburst region, or a Black Hole powered active galactic nucleus (AGN). Both of the hypotheses are still being investigated.

Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that the environmental damage to the interstellar medium of NGC 4438 may have been caused by an encounter (off-center collision) with NGC 4435, millions of years ago.

Gallery

• 

  Image taken with the FORS2 instrument on the ESO's Very Large Telescope^[1] .

• 

  NGC 4435 and dust ring around its nucleus by HST, 1.8′ view

• 

  Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image of NGC 4438.

• 

  The Virgo Cluster of galaxies (Burrell Schmidt telescope)

External links

• NGC 4438
• The Eyes Galaxies on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images

References

1. ^ "VLT Looks into The Eyes of the Virgin". ESO Photo Release. 24 August 2011. http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1131/. Retrieved 31 August 2011. 

Coordinates: 12^h 27^m 45.6^s, +13° 00′ 31″