NGC 2655: Galaxy Image Page

The images below of the galaxy NGC 2655, obtained with the WIYN Observatory, are from a paper presented June 10, 1996, at the 188th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Madison, Wisconsin, by Peter Erwin, Linda S. Sparke, and John S. Gallagher. (See below for downloading options.)

These images look best when viewed with 24-bit color.
See below for caption.

NGC 2655 B-band Images
Download TIFF image (730K) Download TIFF image (730K)

NGC 2655 B-R Images
Download TIFF image (730K) Download TIFF image (730K)

Downloading Options

Images of the galaxy are available in TIFF form. The image sizes are approximately 500 by 500 pixels = 730 KB; all are 24-bit color.

Figure Caption

The 3.5m (140-inch) WIYN telescope has a new design which minimizes the turbulent flow of air around the dome and telescope, thus in turn minimizing the blurring (``seeing'') of astronomical images. These images of the unusual galaxy NGC 2655 were obtained in different colors taken at WIYN on December 27, 1995, with a seeing of 0.8 arc seconds (the angular size of an atmospherically blurred star in the image).

In each row, the image on the left is a region approximately 3.3 arc minutes on a side, centered on the galaxy, while the image on the right shows the central 1.6 by 1.6 arc minutes. The top row shows the galaxy as seen in the B band (roughly corresponding to what the human eye sees as blue light), with a false color scale indicating relative brightness on a logarithmic scale. The bottom row shows the result of dividing a B-band image of the galaxy by an R-band image, producing a ``B-R color map.'' Here, black represents relatively red regions of the galaxy, while yellow indicates areas which are more blue.

The striking dark/red areas of the color map -- which can also be seen as obscurations in the B-band images -- are almost certainly due to strong dust lanes in parts of the galaxy slightly closer to us. These dust lanes absorb and redden starlight from parts of the galaxy beyond. The preponderance of dust lanes in the right (west) part of the galaxy suggests that the dust there may trace gaseous material on orbits inclined to the plane of the galaxy, which cross ``above'' the plane of the galaxy on this side, obscuring our view of it. This may be an indication that this galaxy has recently captured material from a companion galaxy -- or perhaps is swallowing such a companion entirely.

This material was presented to the American Astronomical Society meeting in Madison, Wisconsin, on June 10, 1996 (Poster Session 10.02: Peter Erwin, Linda S. Sparke, and John S. Gallagher).

Back to Peter Erwin's Home Page...

Last modified 15 March 2001.