The large galaxy near the top of this image is NGC 4631, a large spiral galaxy
about the size of our own Milky Way Galaxy. We see it edge-on, and in this image
the numerous dust lanes within the galaxy are especially visible, along with brighter
regions of new star formation. Above NGC 4631 is a smaller elliptical galaxy, NGC 4627.
The gravitational interaction of these two galaxies is distorting them both, and you
can see a faint trail of material between them. At the lower left is another highly
distorted galaxy in this group, NGC 4656 (sometimes called the "hockey stick galaxy").
This group of galaxies is in the constellation Canes Venatici, and about 25 million
light years from Earth.

Image Data:
Camera: Canon 350XT, ISO 800
Telescope: 10" Meade Schmidt-Newtonian (f/4), Baader coma corrector
Exposure: 5 minutes x 14