Image: Hubble Interacting Galaxy NGC 3690 (2008-04-24)

Description: This system consists of a pair of galaxies, dubbed IC 694 and NGC 3690, which made a close pass some 700 million years ago. As a result of this interaction, the system underwent a fierce burst of star formation. In the last fifteen years or so six supernovae have popped off in the outer reaches of the galaxy, making this system a distinguished supernova factory. Arp 299 belongs to the family of ultra-luminous infrared galaxies and is located in the constellation of Ursa Major, the Great Bear, approximately 150 million light-years away. It is the 299th galaxy in Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. Despite its enormous amount of absorbing dust, enough violet and near-ultraviolet light leaks out for it to be number 171 in B.E. Markarian's catalog of galaxies with excess ultraviolet emission. This image is part of a large collection of 59 images of merging galaxies taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released on the occasion of its 18th anniversary on 24th April 2008.

About the object

Object name

NGC 3690, IC 694, Mrk 171, Arp 299, VV 118, KPG 288

Object description

Interacting Galaxies

Position (J2000)

11 28 32.10+58 33 46.9

Constellation

Ursa Major

Distance

150 million light-years (50 million parsecs)

About the data

Data description

The Hubble image was created using HST data from proposal 10592: A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)

Instrument

ACS/WFC

Exposure date(s)

March 18, 2002

Exposure time

38 minutes

Filters

F435W (B) and F814W (I)
Usage Terms: Public domain