Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
12x180sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Celestron 9.25 reduced 0.63

These two galaxies used to be spirals until they had a close gravitational encounter with each other. They have passed, and now speed away from each other at a distance currently estimated at about 24,000 light years - practically on top of each other in galactic terms. In contrast, their distance from earth is 40-50 million light years.

Note the profuse star forming regions in these galaxies due to the strong gravitational force between them.

When this image was taken, NGC 4490 was experiencing a supernova, Supernova 2008ax. See the next image for the location of this explosion.

May 4. 2008