Whale Galaxy (NGC 4631)

Whale Galaxy (NGC 4631) — galaxy, shown live in Cosmoscope, a real-time 3D map of the universe.

A long, slightly bent edge-on disc that really does look like a whale, with a glowing halo of hot gas above it and a small dwarf companion riding alongside.

Type
Edge-on barred spiral
Distance
24 million light-years
Note
Warped like a whale by a passing companion

Seeing Whale Galaxy (NGC 4631) in real time

Whale Galaxy (NGC 4631) is placed at its true position on the sky and at its real measured distance, not as a flat backdrop. Fly out from the Sun in the live 3D view and watch it change from a point of light into structure as you approach, with the scale bar showing just how far out you have travelled.

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