| Eyes Galaxies | |
|---|---|
NGC 4435(top) and NGC 4438(bottom) by GALEX (ultraviolet) |
|
| Observation data (J2000.0 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 12h 27m 45.6s(J2000) |
| Declination | +13° 00' 31" (J2000) |
| Redshift | ? |
| Distance | 52 million ly |
| Type | SB0/SAb |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | ? |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +10 |
| Notable features | Interacting |
| Other designations | |
| NGC 4435-8, Arp 120 | |
| See also: Galaxy, List of galaxies | |
The Eyes Galaxies (NGC 4435-NGC 4438, also known as Arp 120) are a pair of galaxies about 52 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. NGC 4438 is the most curious interacting galaxy in the Virgo Cluster, due to the uncertainty surrounding the energy mechanism that heats the nuclear source; this energy mechanism may be a starburst region, or a Black Hole powered active galactic nucleus (AGN). Both of the hypotheses are still being investigated.
Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that the environmental damage to the interstellar medium of NGC 4438 may have been caused by an encounter (off-center collision) with NGC 4435, millions of years ago.