Galaxies of the Antennas

A billion-year dance with half a billion stars The Antennae or Antenna Galaxies are two interacting galaxies in the constellation Corvus some 70 million light years away. they are part of the NGC 4038 Group along with five other galaxies. They are experiencing a galactic collision and are called the Antennae or Antenna for the long lines of stars, gas and dust that are the result of the collision, and reminiscent of the antennae of an insect. The nuclei of both galaxies are coming together to form a super galaxy, probably an elliptical or spiral galaxy, while the tails will eventually break apart and become independent, forming smaller satellite galaxies.