NGC 4438 - Arp 120
Virgo
Penryn, California
April 2004/2009
FS-128 (ag, ST-4)
ST-10XME RGB, 10 minutes binned 2x2
ST-2000XM Lum, 10 minute subs (2009)
NGC 4438 is the galaxy at center right and NGC
4435 is the background galaxy at center left. NGC 4435 is classified SBO and is
at a distance of 50 Mly. NGC 4438 is classified as SO-a and is at 18 Mly.
NGC 4438 is severely warped by a close encounter
with giant elliptical M 86 of the Virgo group. NOAO recently released a
study of this encounter noting "A deep new image of the Virgo cluster has
revealed monumental tendrils of ionized hydrogen gas 400,000 light-years long
connecting the elliptical galaxy M86 and the disturbed spiral galaxy NGC 4438."
