The antennae galaxies - NGC4038/9

One of the first images from the new VIMOS facility, obtained right after the moment of "first light" on February 26, 2002. It shows the famous "Antennae Galaxies" (NGC 4038/9), the result of a recent collision between two galaxies.

As an immediate outcome of this dramatic event, stars are born within massive complexes that appear blue in this composite photo, based on exposures through green, orange and red optical filters.

Individual exposures of 60 seconds each; image quality 0.6 arcsec FWHM; the field measures 3.5 x 3.5 arcmin². North is up and East is left.