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Astrophotography by Kent Biggs |
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NGC 6975-6978 are a group of close and
likely interacting galaxies. Also called Hickson 88, this group's
members are all spiral galaxies. Dr. Paul Hickson, a Canadian
Astronomer, created a now famous list of about 100 groups in order to study
galaxies close together to see if they are the same distance from us (using
their spectra to measure red shift). If galaxies are visually close
together and the same distance from us, then they are presumed to be
physically close to each other and likely gravitationally interacting with
each other often showing structural disturbances or even bridges of stellar
material connecting them. All of these galaxies are close to each
other, but even wth the over processed image below, there is no discernable
material connecting the glaxies. Note that the glare (light rays)
eminating from the lower left of the image are due to a bright star just
outside of the field.
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Optics: |
Celestron C11 F/10 (2800mm Focal Length) |
Date: |
September 15, 2006 | |||