Canon XSi, modded, 28 x 2 min., ISO 1600
LXD75-SN10 OTA, Baader MPCC, EQ6 mount, guided w/PHD and EQMOD
Special thank you to Dan Rabin who had called my attention to this wonderful object

The Siamese Galaxies, also named the "Butterfly Galaxies", were discovered by Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel in 1784.

These two spiral galaxies are located 120 million light years away, and are part of the Virgo cluster of galaxies. The two are in the process of starting to merge - a rare front row view of an astounding astronomical process taking place in real time (well, actually, 120 million years ago, to this very second...).