The Tinker Bell Triplet

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Using ESO's Very Large Telescope, an international team of astronomers has discovered a stunning rare case of a triple merger of galaxies. This system, which astronomers have dubbed 'The Bird' - although it also bears resemblance with a cosmic Tinker Bell - is composed of two massive spiral galaxies and a third irregular galaxy.

In this image, a 30-min VLT/NACO K-band exposure has been combined with archive HST/ACS B and I-band images to produce a three-colour image of the 'Bird' interacting galaxy system. The NACO image has allowed astronomers to not only see the two previously known galaxies, but to identify a third, clearly separate component, an irregular, yet fairly massive galaxy that seems to form stars at a frantic rate.

Credit:

ESO

Usage of ESO Images and Videos

About the Image

Id:	eso0755a
Type:	Observation
Release date:	21 December 2007
Related releases:	eso0755
Size:	1246 x 1139 px

About the Object

Name:	ESO 593-IG 008, The Bird
Type:	• Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Interacting • Galaxies
Distance:	650 million light years

Mounted Image

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Coordinates

Position (RA):	19h 14m 31.08s
Position (Dec):	-21° 19' 9.36"
Field of view:	0.60 x 0.55 arcminutes
Orientation:	North is 0.2° left of vertical