Explanation:
Distorted
galaxy NGC 2442
can be found in the southern constellation of the
flying fish,
(Piscis) Volans.
Located about 50 million light-years away, the galaxy's two
spiral
arms extending from a pronounced central bar give it a
hook-shaped appearance.
This deep color image also shows the arms' obscuring
dust lanes, young blue star clusters and
reddish star forming regions
surrounding a core of yellowish light from an older population of stars.
But the star forming regions seem more concentrated along
the drawn-out (right side)
spiral
arm.
The distorted structure is likely the result of an ancient
close encounter
with the smaller galaxy seen near the top left of this
field of view.
The two interacting galaxies are separated by about
150,000 light-years at the estimated distance
of NGC 2442.
digg_url = 'http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090228.html'; digg_skin = 'compact';
