• Key Information

  • Antennae Galaxies

  • Type
    Galaxies (barred spiral - NGC 4038) & (spiral - NGC 4039)
  • Diameter
    About 500,000 light years
  • Distance
    45,000,000 to 65,000,000 light years
  • Total Stars
    Unknown
  • Date of Discovery
    William Herschel, 1785
  • Other Names
    Ringtail Galaxy, NGC 4038 / 4039, Caldwell 60/61
  • Learning Point
  • The Antennae Galaxies are two galaxies that are interacting with each other, merging, and creating a combined galaxy. They are named after the two streams of stars that are trailing behind each of the galaxies.
  • Project
  • Draw the Antennae Galaxies.
  • Location
  • Located in
    Corvus
  • Fun Facts
  • One of the two galaxies was a barred spiral galaxy, the other a more regular spiral galaxy.
  • The two galaxies began to merge into one galaxy about 200 to 300 million years ago.
  • Two streams of stars have been ejected from each galaxy resulting in the two "antennae" that they are named after.
  • It is thought that within 400 million years the cores of each galaxy will merge into one.