Merger of 3?

• by Terrance_L._Johnson

  I'm not entirely sure this is a true merger of 3 galaxies (there is some disturbance going on), but it is an unusual image. Looks like 3 peas in a pod!

  Posted October 10, 2012 3:46 AM

• by zutopian

  #merger : looks like a galaxy, which has triple nucleus #triplenuclei
  also #available_in_dr7
  #howtoclassify
  maybe #lens effect?

  Posted October 10, 2012 7:44 AM

• by ElisabethB moderator

  no lens. Definitely merger

  Posted October 10, 2012 8:59 AM

• by vrooje admin, scientist

  I wonder if there could be two dust lanes crossing the galaxy that make it look like it's separated into three segments. That would certainly indicate a disturbance.

  Posted October 10, 2012 9:20 AM

• by chechemonkey

  what kind of a disturbance would that make? and why would there be a disturbance?

  Posted October 10, 2012 9:53 PM

• by ElisabethB moderator

  If two (or more) galaxies get close to each other they interact gravitationally. And their original shape will get distorted. With elliptical galaxies the distortion will not be that obvious at first.

  Posted October 10, 2012 9:58 PM

• by chechemonkey

  so basically it is this:
  these galaxies get close to each other and their gravities interact and and that makes their shapes distorted...? #ElisabethB

  Posted October 10, 2012 10:10 PM

• by ElisabethB moderator

  Erm, no. Because of their mass galaxies that get close to each other will interact (distortions, etc). If you think it is a merger, always look for distortions in the galaxies.

  Posted October 10, 2012 10:18 PM

• by JeanTate

  I'm going to say no dustlanes, and could be at least one #overlap. I suspect that a detailed model of this - as three Sersic-profile objects - would be consistent with overlapping ellipticals, and no disturbance (Elliptical galaxies often have 'deVaucouleurs' profiles, which is one kind of Sersic profile; google is your friend 😄 !)

  Posted October 11, 2012 8:45 AM

• by Terrance_L._Johnson

  Glad you "star scratchers" found this interesting!

  Posted October 14, 2012 5:10 AM

• by deano384

  How about two foreground stars either side of the galaxy core? The other foreground stars are of similar brightness. This might explain the lack of distortion/disturbance.

  Posted November 20, 2012 12:17 PM

• by ElisabethB moderator

  I'm thinking three galaxies.

  Posted November 20, 2012 1:01 PM

• by Capella05 moderator

  #no_lens

  Posted October 12, 2014 1:27 PM