NGC 5090 and NGC 5091
Encyclopedia
NGC 5090 and NGC 5091 are a set of galaxies approximately 150 million light-year
s away in the constellation
Centaurus
. They are in the process of colliding and merging
with some evidence of tidal disruption of NGC 5091.
NGC 5090 is an elliptical galaxy
while NGC 5091 is a spiral galaxy
. The velocity of the nucleus of NGC 5091 has been measured as 3429 km/s, while NGC 5090 has a velocity of 3185 km/s. NGC 5090 is associated with a strong, double radio source (PKS 1318-43).
Light-year
A light-year, also light year or lightyear is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres...
s away in the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
Centaurus
Centaurus
Centaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:...
. They are in the process of colliding and merging
Interacting galaxy
Interacting galaxies are galaxies whose gravitational fields result in a disturbance of one another. An example of a minor interaction is a satellite galaxy's disturbing the primary galaxy's spiral arms. An example of a major interaction is a galactic collision.-Satellite interaction:A giant...
with some evidence of tidal disruption of NGC 5091.
NGC 5090 is an elliptical galaxy
Elliptical galaxy
An elliptical galaxy is a galaxy having an approximately ellipsoidal shape and a smooth, nearly featureless brightness profile. They range in shape from nearly spherical to highly flat and in size from hundreds of millions to over one trillion stars...
while NGC 5091 is a spiral galaxy
Spiral galaxy
A spiral galaxy is a certain kind of galaxy originally described by Edwin Hubble in his 1936 work The Realm of the Nebulae and, as such, forms part of the Hubble sequence. Spiral galaxies consist of a flat, rotating disk containing stars, gas and dust, and a central concentration of stars known as...
. The velocity of the nucleus of NGC 5091 has been measured as 3429 km/s, while NGC 5090 has a velocity of 3185 km/s. NGC 5090 is associated with a strong, double radio source (PKS 1318-43).