From the National Optical Astronomical Observatories
An interacting galaxy system, NGC 4676 is nicknamed the Mice because of the long tails of stars drawn out by the mutual gravitational effect of each galaxy on the other. Perhaps the best match to the system's observed morphology comes from a numerical simulation of two identical disk galaxies interacting over a period of more than 300 million years. NGC 4676 is some 200 million light years away in the direction of the constellation Coma Berenices. This image is shown in a non-standard orientation, with north to the left and east down.
Image Title: The Mice NGC 4676
Credit: REU program/AURA/NOAO/NSF
The text is based on accompanying on-line materials.
Last Modified On: Sunday, December 17, 2000