BLACK DOG OBSERVATORY

NGC1531/1532 Interacting Galaxies

This pair of galaxies is 70 million light years away in the constellation of Eridanus. NGC1532 is the larger one with the coloured central bulge and NGC 1531 is the smaller patch slightly to the left. Each is affected by the other's gravitational forces causing star formation which is visible as the hazy blue patch above and slightly to the right of the larger galaxy's bulge.