Meathook Galaxy | NGC 2442
Located about 50 million light-years away, the Meathook Galaxy, also whimsically known as the Cobra and Mouse, is a peculiar galaxy full of surprises. With its distorted spiral arms resembling a meathook, this galactic oddity results from gravitational interactions, likely from a cosmic encounter with a neighboring galaxy.
Imaged in BVR over 120 minutes in 120 seconds exposures Nov 5th, 2024
Annotations mark nearby objects cataloged in the Tycho-2, Principal Galaxy Catalog (PGC), and New General Catalog (NGC), providing a detailed view of surrounding celestial neighbors and their classifications.