NGC2207

NGC2207 and IC2163, in the Constellation Canis Major at an approximate distance of 144 Million Light-Years, are passing by each other in a gravitational close encounter, with IC2163 behind the spiral arms of NGC2207 and moving in a counter-clockwise direction as its stars and gas are being stretched out in a 100 light-year long tidal tail. The two galaxies will continue to draw toward each other on their passing encounters, and merge billions of years into the future. Dust lanes of the larger NGC2207 sweep across the face of IC2163 and are silhouetted against its core, reddening the dust lanes of NGC2207 and the hue of the core of IC2163, which is about the same size as the Milky Way.

Constellation: Canis Major
Distance: 144 Million Light-Years
Magnitude: 10.7
Date: January 2009
Place: Fort Davis, TX
Exposure Details: LRGB:520:180:180:180
Processing: MaxIm DL, CCDSharp, CCDStack, Photoshop CS3

Optics: 12.5" RCOS Truss RC
Focal Length: 2808mm @ f9
Mount: Paramount ME
Camera: STL6303E SBIG
Focuser: RCOS
Guiding: Off-Axis Guider with SBIG Guide Camera
Filters: Tru-Balance LRGB, 2nd Gen, 2"