NGC 536: Hickson 10

Click on image for larger version.

This group of four galaxies is around 220 million light years away. The collection of spiral galaxies on the left side of the image include: (from top to bottom) NGC 542, NGC 536 and NGC 531. The warped arms of the latter two galaxies strongly suggests they are interacting with one another. NGC 529 on the right side of the image is a bright lenticular galaxy. This galaxy probably used to be a spiral like its neighbors, but either due to gravitational interactions or a lack of material to form more stars has relaxed to this smooth almost elliptical (but not quite) like state.

Equipment

20in RC Optical Systems telescope Operating at f/8.4
Paramount ME Robotic Telescope Mount
SBIG ST10XME CCD camera with color filter wheel

L R G B color production was used to create this image.

Luminance = 90 minutes binned 1x1
Red = 20 minutes binned 2x2
Green = 20 minutes binned 2x2
Blue = 20 minutes binned 2x2

Two iterations of L-R deconvolution (sharpening) algorithm using CCDsharp were applied to the luminance image.

Digital Development (DDP) via Maxim/DL was also used in order to display the the very dim and very bright details of the image simultaneously.

Minimum credit line: Gary White and Verlenne Monroe/Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF

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Updated: 11/23/2003