Galaxy Zoo Talk

Blueish streak

  • CeciliaB by CeciliaB

    According to NED, this galaxy belongs to the local radio-AGN population. Could that explain the streak in any way?

    If it was an artifact, it wouldn't appear in both DECaLS and SDSS, would it?

    Posted

  • Ghost_Sheep_SWR by Ghost_Sheep_SWR

    Based mostly on DECaLS Residuals my guess would be overlap with an edge-on galaxy (starforming?) in the background;

    enter image description here

    http://legacysurvey.org/viewer?ra=236.8723&dec=14.9495&zoom=16&layer=decals-dr3-resid

    Looks like a complete galaxy, and it's also not aligned with the exact center of the foreground galaxy.

    Posted

  • CeciliaB by CeciliaB

    Yes, that could be a possibility. But then the edgeon would be very narrow indeed.

    In DECaLS zoomed-out view I just noticed another galaxy a long way to the upper right which has exactly the same redshift (z=0.085) as the galaxy we are discussing. I wonder if the streak could perhaps be the start of some tidal interaction between the two galaxies?

    Posted

  • CeciliaB by CeciliaB

    On second thoughts, it doesn't look like the beginning of a merger. You're right, the streak must be an edgeon. The galaxies might merge sometime in the future.

    Thank you!

    Posted

  • Ghost_Sheep_SWR by Ghost_Sheep_SWR

    The galaxies do look really close so must be a pair. I've just not seem blue tidal debris with this shape and position from an elliptical before, but would be cool if it turns out to be just that! 😃

    Posted