Wider view of elliptical galaxy NGC 474 from the Dark Energy Survey

NGC 474 is at a distance of about 100 million light-years in the constellation of Pisces. This image shows unusual structures around NGC 474 characterized as tidal tails and shell-like structures made up of hundreds of millions of stars. 

This image is an excerpt from the Dark Energy Survey, which has released a massive, public collection of astronomical data and calibrated images from six years of work. The Dark Energy Survey is a global collaboration that includes the Department of Energy's (DOE) Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), and NSF’s NOIRLab. The image was taken with the Dark Energy Camera, fabricated by DOE, on the Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope.

The quality of the survey can be appreciated by diving into this zoomable version showing a background tapestry of thousands of distant galaxies. 

Credit:

DES/DOE/Fermilab/NCSA & CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA
Acknowledgments: Image processing: DES, Jen Miller (Gemini Observatory/NSF's NOIRLab), Travis Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage), Mahdi Zamani & Davide de Martin

About the Image

Id:noirlab2106c
Type:Observation
Release date:Jan. 14, 2021, 9 a.m.
Related releases:noirlab2106
Size:9493 x 9493 px

About the Object

Name:NGC 474
Constellation:Pisces
Category:Galaxies

Image Formats

Large JPEG
20.8 MB
Screensize JPEG
374.8 KB

Zoomable


Wallpapers

1024x768
295.9 KB
1280x1024
462.1 KB
1600x1200
638.4 KB
1920x1200
727.9 KB
2048x1536
973.3 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):1 20 39.85
Position (Dec):3° 36' 16.77"
Field of view:41.65 x 41.65 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 180.0° left of vertical


Colors & filters

BandWave-lengthTele-scope
Optical
G
474 nmVíctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope
DECam
Optical
R
644 nmVíctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope
DECam
Optical
I
785 nmVíctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope
DECam