| Mayall's Object | |
|---|---|
.jpg) AHubble Space Telescope image of Mayall's Object | |
| Observation data (J2000epoch) | |
| Constellation | Ursa Major |
| Right ascension | 11h 03m 53.892s[1] |
| Declination | +40° 50′ 59.89″[1] |
| Redshift | 0.034524[2] |
| Heliocentric radial velocity | 10171 km/s[2] |
| Distance | 450 Mly (140 Mpc)[3] |
| Other designations | |
| Arp 148, APG 148, VV 032,MCG +07-23-019[2] | |
Mayall's Object (also classified under theAtlas of Peculiar Galaxies asArp 148) is the result of two colliding galaxies located 500 million light years away within the constellation ofUrsa Major. It was discovered by American astronomerNicholas U. Mayall of theLick Observatory on 13 March 1940, using theCrossley reflector.[4] When first discovered, Mayall's Object was described as a peculiar nebula, shaped like a question mark. Originally theorized to represent a galaxy reacting with theintergalactic medium,[5] it is now thought to represent thecollision of two galaxies, resulting in a new object consisting of aring-shaped galaxy with a tail emerging from it. It is thought that the collision between the two galaxies created a shockwave that initially drew matter into the center which then formed the ring.[6]
Arp 148 was imaged by theHubble Space Telescope as part of a survey of what are thought to be colliding galaxies.[3] The image was taken withWide Field and Planetary Camera 2 instrument.[7] It was released along with 59 other images of this type in 2008 for that space telescope's 18th anniversary.[3]
