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Brian Peterson | all galleries >> Galleries >> Galaxies > NGC 3628
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Nov 2013-Apr 2014

NGC 3628

This spiral galaxy, located 35 million light years from earth, is a near neighbor to two other
spiral galaxies (not seen in this image), M 65 & M 66. The gravitational power of these two
neighbors has tugged on NGC 3628 and disturbed its shape. The extreme ends of the disk seem to
flare out in irregular ways, and (perhaps most noticeably) the dust lane that would normally
be seen precisely bisecting the galaxy here seems to be warped and tilted. A very faint trail of
stars and gas can also be seen extending from above the left end of the galaxy, and stretching up
and to the left, nearly to the edge of this image. This stream is also likely a result of the
gravity from NGC 3628's neighbors. Numerous other galaxies can be seen in this image, most of them
far in the background. However, just below NGC 3628 a dwarf galaxy, held by the gravity from
NGC 3628, can also be seen.

This galaxy is sometimes called "The Hamburger Galaxy" (for the striking visual similarity). Less
commonly, it is also called "Sarah's Galaxy." Though the historical origin of the latter nickname
seems to have been lost, the galaxy shares this name with my daughter, and so it too deserves mention.

Image data:
Camera: SBIG STL-11000
Telescope: 12.5" Hyperion
Exposure: 10 1/4 hours (5 3/4 Luminance; 1 1/2 hours each of RGB)


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