Antennae


Antennae

(an-ten -ee) (NGC 4038/9) A pair of interacting galaxies that are in the process of merging. They lie at a distance of only 22 megaparsecs and are thus the best-studied example of this phenomenon. They were normal galaxies before their interaction, but during their point of closest approach about 200 million years ago tides have drawn out two long curved tails, hence their popular name. The galaxies are currently turning around toward their final merger.